7i" 


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MASTER  FLACHSMANN 


MASTER 
FLACHSMANN 

(FLACHSMANN  ALS  ERZIEHER) 
A   COMEDY  IN   THREE   ACTS 


BY 

OTTO   ERNST 

TRANSLATED    BY 

H.  M.  BEATTY,  M.A.,  LL.D. 

AUTHOR  OF  "EDUCATION  IN  A  PRUSSIAN  TOWN,"  ETC. 


"  But  man,  proud  man, 
Drest  in  a  little  brief  authority. 
Plays  such  fantastic  tricks  before  high  heaven 
As  make  the  angels  weep  " 


NEW  YORK: 

DUFFIELD   &   COMPANY 

36-38    WEST    37th   STREET 


V 


|HAI 


^ 


{All  rights  reserved.) 


TRANSLATOE'S  PEEPACE 

It  cannot  be  said  with  truth  that  we  are  a  play- 
reading  people.  In  the  bookshops  of  Paris  the 
plays  of  Augier,  in  half-a-dozen  volumes,  take  their 
place  with  the  "sets"  of  popular  authors.  In 
London  there  is  nothing  parallel ;  although  of  late 
years  readers  have  been  attracted  by  the  witty  para- 
doxes of  Gilbert,  Wilde,  and  Shaw,  and,  in  a  tran- 
sient way,  by  the  polished  verse  of  Mr.  Stephen 
Phillips.  But  these  are  scarcely  cases  in  point ; 
nor,  again,  is  the  endless  procession  of  editions  of 
Shakespeare — which  are  read  much  more  for  their 
poetry  and  thought  than  for  their  stagecraft  and 
dramatic  skill.  Indeed,  it  might  with  some  reason 
be  contended  that  the  only  plays  in  English  which 
are  read  with  the  dramatic  eye  are  Sheridan's  :  that 
is,  read  with  the  eye  which  a  dramatic  critic  would 
apply  to  a  new  play.  Why  this  should  be  so, 
whether  it  is  due  to  the  dramatic  inferiority  of  Eng- 
lish plays,  or  to  the  disincHnation  of  EngHsh  readers 
to  regard  the  drama  as  a  fitting  object  of  serious 
study,  this  is  not  the  place  to  inquire. 

But  if  such  be  the  case  with  regard  to  our  native 
drama,  what  is  the  prospect  before  a  translation  of 

5 

251272 


6  PREFACE 

a  foreign  play?  Wlio  will  read  a  translation  of  a 
German  play  of  which  the  scene  is  laid  in  a  school- 
house,  of  which  the  characters  are  schoolmasters 
and  schoolmistresses  ?  School  stories  are  usually 
either  muscular,  or  lachrymose,  or  unctuous.  FlachS' 
mann  is  none  of  these.  It  is  indeed  at  times  senti- 
mental and  nebulous;  but  its  humanity  is  broad 
and  robust  enough  to  interest  those  to  whom  Ger- 
man sentimentality  and  German  nebulosity  are 
ridiculous  or  nauseous.  Flachsmann  himself  is  well 
worth  knowing;  he  is  a  ruffian  of  the  unimaginative, 
Philistine,  mechanical  type,  with  the  precision  of 
a  steam-engine  and  the  heart  of  a  steam-roller. 
In  some  respects  he  reminds  one  of  Tartuffe ;  but 
he  is  not  exactly  a  hypocrite.  He  has  his  solid 
beliefs ;  he  believes  in  the  steam-roller.  So  does 
Weidenbaum,  the  fragile  shadow  of  the  massive 
bulk  of  Flachsmann ;  while  Diercks  hardly  believes  in 
anything,  hardly  even  in  his  own  maHcious  egotism. 
Flemming  is  the  ''ideal  "  schoolmaster.  His  views 
are  to  our  ears  a  trifle  "tall,"  and  sometimes  slightly 
incoherent ;  still  he  is  a  human  being,  and  one  feels 
that  to  the  German  eye  he  must  be  superb.  Gisa, 
too,  is  a  very  German  inghiuef  but  she  has  a  pretty 
wit  at  times,  and  she  thinks  that  *'  nothing  breaks 
up  holidays  more  horribly  than  work."  Negendank, 
the  old  soldier,  is  a  very  real  man ;  and  Prell  is  a 
rich  compound,  in  equal  proportions,  of  the  official, 
the  pedant,  and  the  enthusiast — two  creations 
which  are  almost  worthy  to  stand  beside  Dugald 
Dalgetty  and  Tartarin  of  Tarascon. 


PREFACE  7 

So  much  for  the  characters — and  this  is  a  play  of 
character  rather  than  of  incident.  It  must  also  be 
confessed  that  it  is  a  play  with  a  moral.  The  title, 
Flachsmann  ah  Erzieher  (''Flachsmann  as  teacher"), 
was  apparently  suggested  by  a  book  called  Bern- 
hrandt  als  Erzieher — a  strange  medley  of  philosophy, 
aesthetics,  education,  and  politics,  which,  published 
anonymously,  has  run  into  fifty  editions ;  and  the 
play  is  clearly  a  protest  against  the  subordination 
of  spirit  to  flesh,  of  the  childish  soul  to  official 
routine  and  machinery. 

In  Germany  the  play  has  been  a  success.  Two 
years  ago  it  was  in  its  twenty-second  thousand ;  and 
Prell  has  furnished  a  favourite  role  to  a  brilliant 
actor,  Hermann  Vallentin,  who  is  now  engaged  at 
the  Neues  Schauspielhaus  in  Berlin.  "Whether  it 
would  be  a  success  on  the  English  stage  is  another 
question.  But  it  may  be  claimed  that  the  dialogue 
is  good,  the  plot  well  constructed,  the  **  curtains  " 
effective,  and  the  characters  sufficiently  defined. 

The  interest  of  the  play  as  an  educational  '*  docu- 
ment " — as  a  picture  of  school  life  in  Germany, 
painted  by  the  author  from  the  first-hand  knowledge 
of  personal  experience — is  undoubted. 


OTTO  EENST 

Otto  Eenst  Schmidt  (who  writes  under  the  nom 
de  guerre  of  Otto  Ernst)  was  born  in  Ottensen  in 
1862,  and,  after  receiving  his  education  in  his  native 
place,  entered  a  Training  College  for  Teachers  in 
Hamburg.  His  first  book  (a  volume  of  poems)  was 
published  in  1881,  and  his  second  in  1895 ;  while  in 
the  succeeding  dozen  years  he  has  published  nearly 
twenty  more.  Flachsmann  als  Erzieher  dates  from 
1902,  and  his  most  successful  story,  Asmus  Semper s 
Jugendland,  from  1905. 


THE  PLOT   OF   THE  PLAY 

Thirty  years  before  the  opening  of  the  play  a 
young  man  called  George  Henry  Flachsmann 
qualified  by  examination  for  a  teachership  in  an 
elementary  school,  but  died  soon  after  of  consump- 
tion. His  elder  brother,  John  Henry  Flachsmann, 
who  had  failed  at  his  examination,  took  possession 
of  his  papers,  assumed  his  name,  and  was  appointed 
to  a  school  in  a  provincial  town.  Here  he  made 
himself  comfortable.  An  official  from  headquarters 
rarely  came ;  the  local  amateur,  who,  after  the 
German  fashion,  acted  as  inspector,  was  an  easy- 
going gentleman  who  was  too  glad  to  leave  every- 
thing in  Flachsmann's  hands ;  and  the  only  person 
who  knew  his  history,  an  assistant  teacher  called 
Diercks,  was  willing  to  hold  his  tongue  in  the  expec- 
tation of  Flachmann's  recommendation  for  promo- 
tion. 

Thus  all  might  have  been  well  but  for  the  arrival 
of  an  assistant  called  Flemming.  Between  Flachs- 
man  and  Flemming  the  antagonism  was  almost  in- 
stinctive— Flemming,  a  Pestalozzian  revolutionary, 

Flachsmann,  the  man  of  routine  and  red  tape.    A 

11 


12  THE   PLOT  OF  THE   PLAY 

stormy  interview,  precipitating  a  report  to  the 
central  authority,  closes  the  first  act. 

Naturally,  Flachsmann's  partisans  direct  their 
criticisms  against  Flemming,  who,  owing  to  a  mis- 
understanding, loses  the  good  feeling  of  even  the 
few  progressive  members  of  the  staff,  and  is  left  at 
length  with  none  to  console  him  except  little  Gisa 
Holm.  Chief  Inspector  Prell  arrives,  charged  with 
an  inquiry  into  Flachsmann's  complaints  against 
Flemming,  and  is  by  no  means  favourably  impressed 
by  the  bold  and  somewhat  disrespectful  demeanour 
of  the  accused. 

In  the  third  act  Prell  reigns  supreme.  A  short 
investigation  convinces  him  of  the  incompetence 
and  fraud  of  Diercks,  whom  he  dismisses  on  the 
spot.  Flachsmann's  own  incompetence  in  teaching 
suggests  doubts,  which  are  intensified  by  his  halting 
and  inconsistent  explanations,  and  are  fully  justified 
by  the  timely  arrival  of  a  letter  from  Diercks,  who, 
dismissed  himself,  determines  to  involve  Flachs- 
mann  in  his  ruin.  The  tale  of  fraudulent  certificates 
is  here  set  forth,  Flachsmann  is  shot  out,  his  place 
is  given  to  Flemming,  and  the  play  ends,  while 
Flemming  and  Gisa  dance  a  round  to  the  music  of 
the  children's  singing  lesson. 


Masters. 


CHAKACTEES 

George  Henry  Flachsmann,  Head  Master  of  an  Elementary 

Boys'  School. 

Jack  Flbmming 

Bernard  Vogelsang 

Carstbn  Diercks 

Emilius  Weidbnbaum 

Nicholas  Riemann 

Frank  Romer 

Betty  Sturhahn)    ,,.  ,  . .,     ,     .     «, 

^       TT  r  Mistresses  of  the  Junior  Classes. 

Gisa  Holm  j 

Negbndank,  Flachsmann's  School  Porter. 

Kluth,  School  Porter  of  the  adjoinmg  Girls'  School. 

School  Inspector  Brosecke. 

Professor  Dr.  Prbll,  Official  School  Commissioner. 

Mrs.  DORMANN. 

Max,  her  son,  six  years  old. 
Brockmann. 

Mrs.  BiBSENDAHL. 

Alfred,  her  son,  fourteen  years  old    )    p     m      ^  -q,! 
Robert  Pfeiffbr,  fourteen  years  old]        ^  °' 

Charley  Jensen,  Pupil  of  Vogelsang. 


Scene  of  the  Action :  A  smaller  provincial  town. 
Time :  The  present. 

Between  the  acts  a  fortnight  elapses  in  each  case. 


13 


Master    Flachsmann 

FIEST  ACT 

(Bight  and  left  of  the  spectator,) 

The  office  of  the  Head  Master  Flachsmann.  The 
whole  get-up  of  the  room  is  of  the  usual  dreary 
character.  In  the  foreground,  somewhat  to 
the  right,  is  a  writing-table  of  lacquered  deal, 
without  a  top.  On  the  table  all  is  in  punctilious 
order.  Behind  the  table,  a  revolving  chair  to 
match.  In  an  exact  right  angle  with  it,  and  on 
the  right  hand,  an  ordinary  chair  for  lesser  folk; 
on  the  left,  an  armchair  for  distinguished  visitors. 
On  the  walls  are  presses  with  books,  maps,  charts 
for  Observation  lessons.  Science  apparatus,  dc, 
some  of  which  are  visible  through  glass  doors. 
In  the  left  background,  on  the  table,  an  enormous 
globe,  covered  with  a  sort  of  cosy  ;  on  the  walls, 
time-tables  and  other  documents  :  among  others, 
a  huge  closely -printed  placard  with  the  super- 
scription, "School  Begulations,"    Doors  in  the 

15 


16  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

middle  {folding  doors)  and  to  the  left.  Bight 
and  left  of  the  middle  door  a  pair  of  the  very 
cheapest  pictures  of  William  the  First  and  the 
Empress  Augusta.  Near  the  middle  door  to  the 
left,  a  board  for  the  keys  of  the  class-rooms,  on 
which  some  keys  are  still  hanging.  Through 
the  open  middle  door  the  corridor  can  he  seen, 
where  several  visitors  are  waiting  and  walking 
up  and  down.  On  the  other  side  of  the  corridor 
is  seen  a  door  on  which  *'  Glass  III.''  is  dis- 
tinctly marked  in  Boman  letters  ;  and  whenever 
the  door  is  opened  the  teacher's  desk,  a  black- 
board, and  so  on  are  seen.  In  the  wall  to  the 
right  is  a  window.  On  the  door  to  the  left 
'*  Apparatus  Boom"  is  marked  with  equally 
distinct  Boman  characters.  The  whole  school- 
house  is  an  antiquated  structure,  not  originally 
intended  for  school  purposes. 


SCENE  I 

Negendank,  the  school  porter,  an  old  soldier,  well 
into  the  fifties,  beard  with  shaven  chin.  Speech 
good-humoured  and  bluff.  Extreme  deliberation 
in  his  movements.  He  is  giving  the  last  tidying 
touch  to  Flachsmann's  writing-table.  Mrs. 
DoRMANN,  poorly  but  neatly  dressed,  a  very 
pretty  woman  of  thirty-two  years,  sits  waiting 
on  the  corridor ;  her  little  boy  Max  (a  pretty 
little  fellow  of  six  years  old)  stands  at  her  side. 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  17 

Mks,  Dor.     Mr.  Negendank !     Mr.  Negendank  I 

Negen.    Hm  ? 

Mrs.  Dor.    Will  the  Head  Master  not  come  soon  ? 

Negen.  You  must  be  patient.  He  will  come 
directly. 

Mrs.  Dor.  Yes,  but  I  have  no  time  to  stay 
longer.  I  have  four  other  little  ones  at  home,  that 
I  have  locked  in. 

Negen.  Indeed!  We  have  four  hundred  children, 
and  every  one  of  them  must  be  looked  after.  We 
must  hold  our  inspection  in  the  morning,  to  see  that 
everything  is  in  order. 

Mrs.  Dor.  Ah,  your  children  look  after  them- 
selves. 

Negen.    Dear  Mrs.  Dormann,  you  form  a  very 

frivolous  conception  of  our  vocation.    Look  here 

{Voices  heard  within,)  One  moment !  {Signs  to 
Mrs.  Dormann  to  withdraw.) 


SCENE  II 

Weidenbaum,  a  haggard  man,  with  very  crooked 
back,  light  grey  hair  and  close-clipped  heard  of 
the  same  colour;  wrinkled  and  pinched  features  ; 
slow,  snuffling  speech.  Gold  spectacles.  EiE- 
MANN,  type  of  the  rustic  schoolmaster ;  broad, 
red  face,  short,  flaxen  hair,  short  moustache  0/ 
similar  hue.  He  wears  a  jacket,  a  slightly  cut- 
away vest,  and  trousers  so  short  that  they  show 
the  grey  stockings  and  the  rims  of  the  low -laced 
shoes.  Wears  no  cuffs.  Speech  slovenly,  with 
a  touch  of  the  brogue.    Negendank. 

EiEMANN.  So  he  provokes  me  to  twelve  and 
there  I'm  stuck.  I  turn  up  :  Seven  of  Clubs  !  But 
have  nothing  else  except  eight  and  nine  of  Clubs,  so 
play  without  thinking. 

Weiden.  Yes  .  .  .  Negendank,  are  all  the 
windows  in  my  class-room  close  shut  ?  You  know 
I  cannot  bear  a  draught. 

Negen.  Certainly,  Mr.  Weidenbaum ;  all  is  in 
proper  order.     {Presently  steps  out  to  the  corridor.) 

KiEMANN.  Now  just  listen ;  this  is  the  way.  I 
cast  the  King  of  Spades  an'  Ten  of  Spades,  an'  the 

18 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  19 

lead  plays  a  small  Heart.  I  finesse  the  king  an'  the 
hind  hand  throws  the  Queen  of  Hearts  slick.  Now 
to  be  sure  I  follow  up  with  the  Ace  of  Hearts,  an* 
they  play  Ten  and  Eight. 

Weiden.  Yes,  my  dear  Eiemann,  I  fear  duty 
calls  .  .  . 

Eiemann.  No,  but  listen  to  the  rest.  I  then 
play  Ace  of  Spades  .  .  . 


SCENE  III 

The  same.    Betty  Sturhahn.    Later  Vogelsang. 
Still  later  Mrs.  Dormann  and  Max. 

Betty  (square-built  person  with  angular  head  and 
bull-dog  face.  She  steps  as  if  she  wore  men's  boots  ; 
and  in  her  bearing  and  voice  gives  the  impression  of  a 
female  non-com. ;  plain,  tasteless  dress).  Good 
morning.     {Takes  a  key  from  the  board.) 

(KiEMANN    and   Weidenbaum    give    a    careless 
return  to  the  greeti^ig.) 

Betty  {stepping  right  up  to  Kiemann).  Yester- 
day you  countermanded  an  order  which  I  had  given 
to  my  class.  If  you  try  that  again,  I  will  play  you 
a  tune  that  will  make  your  eyes  water — do  you  hear? 

EiEMANN.  But  how  did  I  ...  I  don't  know 
what  ...  I  have  only  .  .  . 

Betty.    Kemember  that. 

EiEMANN  {to  himself  J  when  she  is  out  of  earshot). 
Old  dragon  ! 

Betty  {goes  out  with  her  sturdy  step  and  runs 
into  the  stomach  of  Vogelsang,  who  is  coming  in). 
Why  can't  you  look  before  you  ? 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  21 

VoGEL.  {a  jovial  fifty-year-old,  with  a  thick  head 
of  grayish  hair;  strong,  dark  moustache  and  imperial, 
and  powerful  voice.  Smart  appearance.  Catches 
Betty  hy  the  elbows  and  pushes  her  a  little  hack  into 
the  room.  Lovingly).  The  sight  of  you  dazzled 
me,  my  dear  lady. 

Betty.    You  are  a  Jack  Pudding. 

VoGEL.  My  God,  I  know  that ;  but  it  needn't  be 
thrown  in  one's  teeth  every  moment. 

Betty.    Let  me  go  ! 

VoGEL.  (with  a  sigh).  If  it  must  be  so.  {She 
tears  herself  off  and  goes  out  in  a  rage.)  Good 
morning,  gentlemen.  {Handshakes  and  greetings.) 
Well,  gentlemen,  what  say  you  to  the  last  edict  of 
our  friend  Flachsmann  ? 

EiEMANN.     Och !  he's  just  cracked. 

Weiden.  On  principle,  I  never  speak  of  the 
orders  of  my  superiors  ;  no  good  comes  of  it.  I  do 
my  duty  and  do  not  trouble  myself  about  anything 
else. 

VoGEL.  That  is  the  safest  way,  Weidenbaum. 
{Both  of  them  go  to  the  hack  to  get  their  keys.) 

EiEMANN  {puts  himself  at  Weidenbaum's  right). 
Well,  I  must  tell  you  now  how  it  was.  I  play  Ace 
of  Hearts,  down  come  Eight  and  Ten,  and  then 
Ace  of  Spades.  (Vogelsang  and  Weidenbaum  go 
out  chatting,  without  listening  to  him  and  he  con- 
tinues his  tale  to  Negendank,  who  has  come  in 
again.)  Queen  and  Seven  are  played.  Well, 
naturally,  I  follow  with  Nine  of  Spades  and 
then  .  .  . 


22  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Negen.  Mr.  Kiemann,  I  don't  understand  any- 
thing about  Skat. 

EiEMANN  {with  boundless  astonishment).  You 
understand  nothing  about  Skat?  What  then  do 
you  play? 

Negen.     Solo. 

Kiemann  {with  a  laugh  of  lofty  superiority). 
Ha-ha,  ha-ha  !  Solo  ?  {Takes  his  key.)  The  man 
plays  Solo  !  Well,  listen  !  You  are — Solo  !  {Goes 
out.) 

Mrs.  D5r.  {appears  again  at  the  door).  Mr. 
Negendank 

Negen.  Yes,  yes,  he  must  come  now  directly. 
What  exactly  is  it  you  want,  Mrs.  Dormann  ? 

Mrs.  Dor.  The  principal  thing  was,  I  wished  to 
ask  whether  the  school  fee  could  not  be  forgiven 
me.     I 

Negen.  Dear  Mrs.  Dormann,  that  will  not  be 
easy.  We  have  in  the  last  year  expended  something 
like  half  a  million  on  school  purposes.  And  for  all 
that  {with  a  wave  towards  the  room)  never  a  new 
schoolhouse  has  come  our  way  yet.  We  have  been 
making  too  much  of  a  splash  with  our  outlay,  and 
— well,  I  will  put  in  a  word  for  you. 

Mrs.  Dor.    Ah,  that  is  nice  of  you. 

Negen.     Yes,  and  then (Noise from  the  left.) 

Hello  !     That  is  Mr.  Flemming  again,  take  my  word. 
Sure  enough  ! 


SCENE   IV 

As  before.  Alfeed  Biesendahl  and  Kobeet 
Pfeiffee,  two  schoolboys^  rush  in.  Behind  them 
Flemming,  plainly  but  very  well  and  carefully 
dressed;  black  coat  and  waistcoat^  light  trousers; 
fair  moustache;  self-possessed^  well-bred  bearing. 
Later  Dieecks. 

Flemming.  You  fellows  must  not  kick  up  such  a 
row. 

The  Boys  (pressing  round  him  and  besieging  him). 
Mr.  Flemming,  may  I  carry  the  globe? — please,  Mr. 
Flemming,  let  me — please,  me,  Mr.  Flemming. 

Flemming  {with  comical  gruffness).  Be  quiet ! 
(Takes  the  globe.)  What  is  the  name  of  the  man 
who  carries  the  globe. 

Alfeed.    Ajax  ! 

Flemming.  Ho  !  (Jams  down  the  cosy  on  his 
head.) 

Kobeet.    Mr.  Flemming,  I  know,  I  know. 

Flemming.    Well,  out  with  it. 

Kobeet  (stuttering  with  excitement) .  A- A- A- Atlas. 

Flemming.  There,  Atlas,  take  the  globe ;  but 
don't  knock  it  about,  or  I'll  make  mincemeat  of  you. 


24  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

(Alfred  laughs  overloud.)  Do  not  bellow  like  that, 
man.  {Goes  to  apress  to  the  left.)  And  here  (takes  out 
a  rolled-up  chart  and  gives  it  to  the  first  boy)  .  .  . 
there ! 

Alfred.    What  is  that,  Mr.  Flemming  ? 

Flemming  (confidefitially) .  That  is  the  picture  of 
Joe  Miller's  grandmother  !  (Both  boys  laugh.) 
Little  chaps  langh  nicely,  you  know !  The  horse 
neighs.  Man  laughs.  When  we  play  on  the  grass  : 
then  we  neigh.     Do  you  see  ? 

The  Boys.    Yes,  Mr.  Flemming  ? 

Flemming.  Bless  you !  Eight  turn.  March ! 
(The  boys  exeunt.)  They  are  happy,  Mrs.  Dormann ; 
what  do  you  think  ?  They  laugh  at  their  luck, 
whether  it  is  good  or  ill. 

Mrs.  Dor.  Yes,  Mr.  Flemming.  Say  good 
morning,  Max. 

Max  (comes  down  on  Flemming's  hand  with  a 
mighty  smack).    Morrow ! 

Flemming  (bends  down  to  the  lad).  Is  that  the 
youngest  ? 

Mrs.  D5r.  Ah,  Mr.  Flemming,  what  a  notion  ! 
There  are  three  others  after  him. 

Flemming.  I  say,  youngster,  shall  we  have  a 
merry-go-round  ? 

Max.    Oh  yes  !    Let  us. 

Flemming  (squats  down,  sets  the  boy  on  his  right 
knee  and  turns  very  rapidly  in  a  circle) .  Do  you 
like  that  ? 

Max.     Oh,  yes  !     Some  more  ! 

Flemming.    When  you  come  back.    Now  I  must 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  25 

go  to  the  other  children.  They  all  want  merry-go- 
rounds. 

Mrs.  Dor  (in  delight  and  excitement).  Mr.  Flem- 
ming,  I  was  always  wishing  to  have  a  word  with 
you. 

Flemming.     Is  that  so  ?    Certainly. 

Mrs.  Dor.  Yes,  I  wished  some  time  to  thank 
you  for  my  Peter.  Since  the  little  fellow  has  been 
with  you  he  is  not  the  same  boy.  The  youngster 
was  not  to  be  lugged  into  the  school.  (Confidentially 
but  emphatically.)  Especially  Mr.  Diercks — the  little 
fellow  ab-so-lutely  could  not  abide  him.  Mercy  me, 
what  a  worry  it  was!  All  week  mitching,  and  all 
week  mitching ! 

Negbn.  Aye,  the  deuce  he  was !  The  rogue 
made  it  warm  for  us.  It  is  nearly  a  year  ago  that 
he  was  standing  here  beside  Mr.  Flachsmann  and 
was  in  for  a  caning.  And  just  as  Mr.  Flachsmann 
turns  his  back  (at  the  recollection  of  the  occurrence, 
shaking  with  hearty  laughter)  the  little  fellow 
springs,  if  you  please,  out  of  the  window.  Just  out 
of  the  window,  as  true  as  I  am  standing  here.  As  a 
member  of  the  staff  the  thing  has  naturally  caused 
me  great  distress ;  but  it  was  infernally  good  sport. 

(Diercks,  big  man,  with  full,  brutal,  beardless  face, 
which  reveals  an  expression  of  bucolic  craft. 
Speaks  always  in  a  swaggering  tone.  Well 
dressed  (shooting  jacket),  with  sporting  air. 
Comes  from  the  left  out  of  the  apparatus  room 
and  busies  himself  at  a  press.     He  is  evidently 


26  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

listening    and  following    what    is    said   with 
grimaces  of  mochhig  jealousy.) 

Mbs.  Doe.  Yes — and  now  ?  I  cannot  always  be 
without  the  lad  with  so  many  little  children.  I 
have  no  husband  now  and  must  be  going  to  strange 
houses  to  sew ;  and  you  know  well,  Mr.  Flemming, 
that,  with  six  young  ones,  a  woman  is  not  as  strong 
as  she  was  before,  and  so  the  big  boy  must  help  now 
and  then.  That  is  the  way  with  so  many  children ; 
and  when  they  are  once  there  we  don't  want  any 
of  them  away,  you  know  right  well.  But  I  have 
only  to  say,  "  Peter,  you  must  go  to  school  to-day 
an  hour  later" — you  have  the  little  fellow  crying  as 
hard  as  he  can. 

Flemming.  He  is  a  pretty  forward  child ;  he  is 
beginning  already  to  have  a  good  deal  of  sense. 

Mrs.  Dor  {decisively).  No.  He  is  so  fond  of 
your  lessons.  And  you  have  trusted  him  from  the 
j&rst ;  and  that  way  you  can  get  anything  out  of  him. 
That  was  the  way  with  his  father  before  him. 

Flemming  {pulling  out  his  watch),  Mrs.  Dor- 
mann,  I  must  now 

Mrs.  Dor.  But  I  wanted  only  to  say  to  you,  Mr. 
Flemming — listen  now  :  I  have  no  money,  but  if 
you  have  anything  at  all  to  sew  and  darn  and  mend 
— bachelors  have  always  something  coming  off. 

Flemming  {sportfully  surveying  himself).  Is 
that  so? 

Mrs.  Dor.  Then  won't  you  give  it  always  to 
me?    It  won't  cost  you  a  penny  .  .  . 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  27 

Flemming  {with  rising  laughter) .  Dear  Mrs.  Dor- 
mann,  we  work  here  altogether  gratis — well,  all  but 
gratis.  And  when  you  tell  me  anything,  Hke  that 
story  of  your  Peter,  then  I  am  over-paid.  That  is 
the  thing  to  make  a  schoolmaster  proud  and  rich. 

Mrs.  Dor  {looking  thoughtfully  at  him).  Yes,  that 
must  be  so  indeed — for  if  it  weren't  ?  I  cannot 
understand  where  you  get  the  patience.  I  could 
never  be  a  teacher  .  .  . 

Flemming.  There  you  are,  Mrs.  Dormann,  I 
could  be  nothing  else.  If  I  could  not  be  a  teacher — 
it  would  be  all  up  with  me.  But  now  I  must  be  off. 
{Going.) 

DiERCKS.     Say,  Flemming. 

Flemming.    Yes  ? 

DiERCKS  {taking  him  a  little  aside.  Mrs.  D5r- 
MANN  retires  with  Negendank  to  the  corridor). 
Have  you  heard  the  very  latest  performance  of 
our  respected  Chief? 

Flemming.    Hm  ? 

DiERCKS.  From  this  out  every  answer  which  a 
pupil  gives  must  be  assigned  a  value  on  the  spot, 
thus  :  How  much  are  3  +  4  ?  3  +  4  =  7.  Keport ! 
How  many  legs  has  the  dog?  The  dog  has  four 
legs.  Keport !  And  these  values  must  then  be 
compiled  in  weekly  and  monthly  returns. 

Flemming.    He  is  a  fox. 

DiERCKS.    A  fox  ? 

Flemming.  Yes.  He  makes  his  living  with  a 
thousand  returns. 

DiERCKS.    Ha-ha,  very  good.    Moreover,  in  future 


28  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

all  books  must  be  covered  with  ash-coloured  paper, 
and  no  other  colour  is  to  be  allowed. 

Flemming.  Well,  well !  "  Highest  bliss  to  man 
is  given  in  his  "  * — uniformity.  In  this  ingeni- 
ously conducted  school  you  can  commit  any  im- 
becility. Of  one  thing  only  you  must  be  very 
careful — that  all  are  imbecile  together. 

DiERCKS.  Yes,  but  what  I  meant  was,  we  can- 
not put  up  with  a  thing  like  that.  You  ought  to 
put  in  a  word  on  the  subject.  You're  the  proper 
person. 

Flemming.  I  ?  No,  my  dear  fellow,  I  was  once 
foolish  like  that.  You  push  me  forward,  and  behind 
my  back  down  you  come ;  and  then  I'm  the — the — 
improper  person.  I  do  not  mind  some  vexatious 
tricks  and  rebuffs ;  but  after  all  I  should  not  like  to 
have  to  give  up  my  profession  and  take  to  selling 
lottery  tickets.  If  you  will  take  up  something  in 
common  I  will  certainly  not  stand  out;  as  for  the 
rest,  I  bear  on  my  own  back  the  yoke  {with  a  gesture 
to  the  outside)  of  this  .  .  .  fellow  so  long  as  I  can  .  .  . 
not  longer. 

*  A  reminiscence  of  a  Goethean  apophthegm. 


SCENE  V 

As  before.  GiSA  Holm,  pretty,  slender  thing  of 
scarcely  middle  height,  with  large,  very  lively 
eyes,  brown  hair  daintily  curling  mi  the  brow 
and  the  temples,  and  very  brisk  movements.  In 
dress  and  bearing  she  offers  a  complete  contrast 
to  the  type  of  woman  school-pedant ;  her  dress  is 
fashionable  and  very  elegant,  but  by  no  means 
showy  or  over-stylish.  Coquettish  sunshade ;  in 
her  bosom  she  wears  a  very  beautiful  rose. 

GiSA.  Good  morning,  gentlemen.  {She  takes  a 
key  from  the  board.) 

DiERCKS  {affecting  to  jest,  but  really  malicious). 
Miss  Holm  !     It  is  quite  five  minutes  to  eight. 

GiSA  (gaily  snubbing  him).  Then  it  is  high  time 
for  you  to  be  in  your  class. 

Flemming.  And  again  so  beautifully  decked  with 
roses.     Wherefore  this  exuberance  ? 

GiSA.  To  vex  our  beloved  Chief.  I  know  he 
cannot  bear  me  to  wear  flowers.  (Flachsmann's 
voice  is  heard.)  Hush,  gentleman,  the  hooded 
crow ! 

90 


SCENE  VI 
As  before.    Flachsmann. 

Flachs.  (behind  the  scene) .  There  is  again  a  cap 
hanging  on  the  lower  hook!  I  have  ordered  the 
caps  to  be  hung  on  the  upper  hooks.  (Enters,  A 
spare  man  in  the  fifties,  thin  beard  which  still  shows 
some  dark  spots,  gold  spectacles.  His  tone  varies 
between  hypocritical  geniality  and  cool,  rigid,  official 
insolence.  His  head  has  a  marked  forward  droop, 
and  his  glances  seem  to  be  always  peering  round  every 
corner.  When  he  looks  any  one  in  the  face — which 
is  not  often  and,  in  spite  of  all  his  insolence,  with  a 
certain  timidity — he  does  so  with  a  sort  of  upward 
slinking  side-look.  He  wears  a  neat  but  threadbare 
grey  frock-coat.  After  giving  greeting) .  Mr.  Flem- 
ming,  your  class  was  not  under  supervision. 

Flemming.  I  know  it,  Mr.  Flachsmann.  Was 
it  noisy  ? 

Flachs.  (evasively,  with  malicious  tone).  It  was 
not  under  supervision. 

Flemming.  It  was  not  noisy,  then.  I  am  glad 
of  that.  (Outside.)  Goodbye,  Mrs.  Dormann ; 
goodbye,  Maxi.    (Goes  off.) 

30 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  31 

(DiEECKS  has  followed  the  last  incident  with 
appropriate  looks,  and  interchanges  with 
Flachsmann  a  meaning  look  and  walks  off 
in  a  leisurely  way  to  the  Third  Class  on  the 
other  side  of  the  corridor.  GiSA  is  also  about 
to  go.) 

Flachs.    Ah— Miss  Holm  ! 

GiSA.    Mr.  Flachsmann  ? 

Flachs.  Yesterday  in  the  school  and  during  the 
school  hours  you  sang  aloud,  and  moreover  danced 
the  whole  length  of  the  corridor.  You  are  very 
fond  of  dancing? 

GiSA.  Passionately !  Do  you  know  Godfrey 
Keller?*     The 

Flachs.  {cutting  her  short).  No.  I  do  not  care 
with  whom  you  dance.  But  I  should  like  to  repeat 
to  you  a  couple  of  verses  about  dancing 

GiSA.  Ah !  Goethe's  {giving  him  a  languishing 
look) 

"  Leave  them  to  whirl  on  and  let  us  go  straying ; 
Straying  of  love  is  a  dance  all  divine." 

Flachs.  Goethe  I  never  read,  Miss  Holm.  The 
verses  to  which  I  refer  run  thus  : — 

♦•  Dance,  hunt,  game,  stage,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing 
The  world  would  hold  to  be  quite  free  from  sin. 
But  if  you  will  take  heed  to  good  advice: 
There  are  ice  holes  upon  that  kind  of  ice." 

*  A  Swiss  poet  of  the  last  century. 


32  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

GiSA  {with  repressed  mischief  and  assumed  serious- 
ness).  Hm!  Hm  !  From  Henry  Heine,  are  they 
not? 

Flachs.  Miss  Holm!  I  do  not  jest.  When 
you  dance  in  your  private  capacity  I  cannot  prevent 
you  .  .  . 

GiSA  (drily).    No. 

Flachs.  You  have,  however,  danced  in  the 
school. 

GiSA.  Yes.  I  felt  so  tremendously  jolly  just 
then. 

Flachs.    That  will  not  do. 

GiSA.    No  ? 

Flachs.  No.  It  is  quite  unbecoming.  A  school- 
mistress should  ...  I  wished  for  some  time  to  tell 
you  .  .  .  {meaningly)  in  her  clothing  ...  in  the 
dressing  of  her  hair  .  .  .  and  in  her  whole  demean- 
our continually  offer  to  the  children  an  example  of 
quiet  seriousness  and  staid  dignity. 

GiSA  {with  carefully  assumed  simplicity).  Am  I 
not  doing  so,  then? 

Flachs.  Alas,  no  !  You  are  now  once  for  all  a 
mistress  ... 

GiSA.    Alas,  yes. 

Flachs.  .  .  .  and  must  presumably  remain  so, 
unless  you  get  married  .  .  . 

GiSA.  Ah  !  I  should  like  so  much  to  be.  But  I 
cannot  propose  to  anybody. 

Flachs.  {guardedly).  One  would  almost  think 
that  would  be  in  accordance  with  your  notions. 

GiSA.    Do  you  think  so  ?    Well,  perhaps  I  do  too. 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  33 

Flachs.  I  would  also  wear  no  flowers  in  the 
school,  Miss  Holm. 

GiSA.    And  still  they  must  be  so  attractive  to  you ! 

Flachs  {confused).  That  is  not  the  question  now. 
Flowers  are  not  for  the  school. 

GiSA  (emphatically).    There  I  differ  entirely. 

Flachs.  {very  gruffly).  Miss  Holm!  It  is  not 
your  opinion  but  mine  that  decides  here. 

(GiSA  makes  a  deep  how  with  a  grave  countenance 
and  goes.  Behind  his  hack  she  noiselessly 
makes  a  couple  of  turns  rounds  while  she 
comically  poises  on  her  hips  and  makes  faces 
at  Flachsmann.     Then  she  walks  gravely  out.) 


SCENE  VII 

Flachsmann,  then  Negendank. 

Flachsmann  has  taken  his  seat  at  the  writing-table 
and  takes  up  a  pen  deliberately.    He  rings. 

Negen.  (enters,  as  ever,  with  soldierly  bearing  and 
imperturbable  calm) .     Mr.  Head  Master  ? 

Flachs.  I  have  ordered  that  the  black  ink  is  to 
stand  on  the  right  and  the  red  ink  on  the  left. 

Negen.    Certainly,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.  But  the  red  ink  is  on  the  right  and  the 
black  on  the  left. 

Negen.    Certainly,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.  If  I  do  not  take  care  I  shall  be  writing 
an  official  document  with  red  ink. 

Negen.  Certainly,  Head  Master.  (Exchanges  the 
ink  bottles.) 

(The  school  bell  is  heard  sounding.) 

Flachs.  (looks  at  his  watch;  excitedly).  It  is 
ringing  nearly  two  minutes  late.  Who  has  the 
ringing  to-day  ? 

Negen.    Mr.  Diercks,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.  (immediately  breaking  off).  Ah  !  Send 
in  the  people. 

84 


SCENE  VIII 

As  before.    Mes.  Doemann  and  Max.    Mes.  Doe- 
MANN  comes  in  with  her  little  boy. 

Flachs.  (looking  up,  in  a  casual  tone).  Mrs. 
Dormann?    What  can  I  do  for  you? 

Mes.  Doe.     I  wished  to  enter  my  Maxi. 

Flachs.  Sit  down.  (A  solemn  pause,  during 
which  Flachsmann  writes.) 

Max  (suddenly  and  very  loudly,  while  he  points 
at  a  lesson-picture  hanging  on  the  wall).  Ooh, 
mamma,  just  look,  what  a  big  stork ! 

Mes.  Doe.  (distressed).    Hush  ! 

'FhAGBis.  (gruffly).  Sssh  !  (^After  a  second  pause, 
during  which  he  has  continued  his  writing,  he  turns 
with  official  affability  to  the  boy  and  holds  out  his 
hand.)  Well,  my  little  man,  and  what  is  your  name? 
(Max  draws  shyly  back.) 

Mes.  D5e.  Give  your  hand,  now,  at  once.  (Max 
does  so  reluctantly.) 

Mes.  Doe.    What  is  your  name  ? 

Max.  Maxi  Dormann.  (Pulls  back  his  hand 
quickly  from  Flachsmann  and  presses  back  again 
to  his  mother.) 


36  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Flaohs.  (business-like).    Have  you  the  papers  ? 

Mes.  Doe.    Yes.     (Gives  them.) 

Flachs.  Very  well.  You  will  have  the  decision 
in  due  course. 

Mes.  Doe.  (shyly).    Mr.  Flachsmann. 

Flaohs.    Hm  ? 

Mes.  Doe.  Would  it  be  perhaps  possible  that 
the  fees  could  be  forgiven  me  for  the  two 
eldest? 

FjjACB.s.  (becoming  reflective).    Why? 

Mes.  Doe.  I  just  can't  raise  the  money.  I  work 
for  fifteen  shillings  a  week,  and  out  of  that  I  have  to 
feed  six  children  and  after  that  pay  the  fees.  I 
don't  know  how  I  am  to  do  it. 

Flachs.  Well,  you  see,  Mrs.  Dormann  (ivhile  he 
taps  her  shoulder  near  the  breast),  you  could  .  .  . 
Negendank,  go  round  with  this  list  through  all  the 
class-rooms  .  .  . 

Negbn.  With  pleasure,  Head  Master.  (Goes 
out.) 

Flachs.  (moves  his  chair  nearer  to  Mes.  Doe- 
MANN  and  lays  his  hand  again  on  her  shoulder. 
During  the  conversation  he  frequently  lets  his  hand 
slide  down  on  Mes.  Doemann's  rounded  arm;  he 
lays  his  hand  on  her  thigh,  dc.  He  speaks  with 
lustfully  maudlin  amiability.  Mes.  Doemann  meets 
his  advances  with  repugnance  checked  by  timidity). 
Look,  Mrs.  Dormann,  could  you  not  possibly  earn 
more  ? 

Mes.  Doe.    No  ;  how  am  I  to  do  that  ? 

Flaohs.    Well,  perhaps  a  way  could  be  found. 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  37 

Mrs.  Dor.    Oh,  if  you  could  do  that  .  .  . 

Flachs.    Perhaps  I  might  help  you. 

Mrs.  Dor.    Yes? 

Flachs.  Oh !  Yes,  I  am  in  close  touch  with  the 
best  circles.  ...  If  I  recommend  you,  you  are 
recommended  .  .  .  and,  anyhow,  you  would  be  very 
well  paid  ...  if  I  put  in  a  word  for  you. 

Mrs.  Dor.  Ah !  that  would  be  very  nice  of 
you. 

Flachs.  Hm  ...  I  will  look  after  it  at  once. 
.  .  .  (Goes  to  a  press  to  the  right,  tahes  out  a  note- 
book, then  approaches  Mrs.  Dormann  from  behind, 
and  puts  his  arm  round  her  in  a  fatherly,  affec- 
tionate sort  of  way,  while  he  is  unable  to  suppress 
the  quiver  of  lustful  excitement  in  his  voice.)  You 
know,  my  dear  Mrs.  Dormann,  we  must  not  give  up 
hope  yet  .  .  . 

Mrs.  Dor.  (starts  up  and  draws  the  little  boy 
towards  her).  Excuse  me,  Mr.  Flachsmann  ...  I 
...  I  cannot  wait  longer  ...  I  have  to  go  home 
.  .  .  the  little  ones  .  .  .  and  do  not  trouble  your- 
self about  the  situation  ...  I  ...  I  can't  under- 
take any  more  ...  I  am  well  enough  .  .  .  just 
leave  them  .  .  .  (Speechless.) 

Flachs.  (quite  cool).  As  you  will,  Mrs.  Dor- 
mann. But  as  to  remitting  the  school  fees,  do 
not  entertain  any  hope  ...  it  cannot  be  done. 

Mrs.  Dor.  But  my  children  must  have  bread 
before  I  pay  school  fees. 

Flachs.  (contemptuously).  That  is  your  view  of 
the  matter. 


38  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Mbs.  Doe.  Yes.  Maybe  I  am  to  let  my 
children  starve. 

Flachs.  {goes  to  the  middle  door  and  opens  it). 
Next,  please. 

Mes.  Doemann  and  Max  go  off,  while  Beockmann 
enters,) 


SCENE  IX 

Flachsmann.  Brockmann,  a  little  shrivelled  bit 
of  a  man,  remains  standing  in  the  background, 
twirling  his  hat  in  his  hand. 

Flachs.    Come  nearer. 

Brock.  Thank  you  kindly,  Head  Master,  thank 
you  kindly, 

Flachs.    Sit  down. 

Brock.  Thank  you  kindly.  Head  Master,  thank 
you  kindly.  (Is  sitting  down  in  the  chair  to  the 
left.) 

Flachs.  (pointing  to  the  chair  to  the  right). 
This  side !  .  .  .  What  can  I  do  for  you  ? 

Brock.  I  come  on  account  of  my  Kodolph,  Head 
Master. 

Flachs.    Hm  ? 

Brock.  Indeed,  he  has  been  beaten  by  Mr. 
Flemming. 

Flachs.  {greatly  interested).  Aha !  (Genially.) 
And  the  boy  has  been  hurt? 

Brock,  (eagerly) .    Oh,  no  ! 

Flachs.  However,  you  come  to  complain  of  Mr. 
Flemming. 

89 


40  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Brock.  No,  no!  It  was  to  thank  him,  to 
thank  him  ! 

Flachs.  {coldly).    Indeed. 

Brock.  Yes,  to  thank  him  from  the  bottom  of 
my  heart.  Indeed,  we  can't  make  anything  of  the 
youngster.  The  youngster  is  full  stronger  than  my 
wife  and  me  together.  He  is  too  much  for  his  own 
father  and  mother.  He  wanted  to  beat  his  own 
mother  !  Somebody  must  have  told  Mr.  Flemming 
about  that,  and  he  got  terribly  angry  and  got  hold 
of  the  youngster  and  gave  him  a  right  whaling. 
And  that  was  a  great  help  !  Now  we  have  only  to 
say,  "  Mr.  Flemming  shall  get  to  know  that,"  .  .  . 
then  he  knuckles  down.  The  man  has  been  a  God- 
send to  us.  He  is  the  only  one  he  has  respect 
for  .  .  . 

Flachs.  {who  has  listened  with  a  very  had  grace 
and  with  an  occasional  ironical  **IZm,"  cuts  him 
short  with  a  rude  gesture).  Very  well.  I  will  see 
to  it.     Good  morning. 

Brock,  {taken  aback).  Good  .  .  .  good  morning, 
Head  Master. 

Flachs.  {at  the  door).    Come  on,  please. 


SCENE  X 

Flachsmann.    Mrs.  Biesendahl.    Later  Negen- 
DANK  and  Alfred  Biesendahl. 

Mrs.  Bies.  {forty -year-old  woman  of  faded  looks, 
who  in  dress,  speech,  and  air  endeavours  to  play  the 
fine  lady.  She  seems  very  indignant).  Good 
morning,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.  Good  morning,  Mrs.  Biesendahl ;  be 
seated.    How  can  I  serve  you? 

Mrs.  Bies.  Head  Master,  I  am  compelled  un- 
fortunately to  make  a  grave  complaint  with  regard 
to  Freddy's  teacher. 

Flachs.    So  it's  Mr.  Flemming  again? 

Mrs.  Bies.    Precisely. 

Flachs.  Such  complaints  are,  I  am  sorry  to  say, 
nothing  new  to  me,  dear  Mrs.  Biesendahl.  What  is 
it,  then? 

Mrs.  Bies.  Head  Master,  you  know  that  we 
desire  a  very  good  education  and  that  we  try  to 
keep  away  all  coarseness  from  our  children.  My 
husband  is  an  official  and  I  am  the  daughter  of 
an  officer  in  the  Customs,  so  I  need  hardly  tell 
you  that  in  our  house  the  children  hear  nothing 


42  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

nasty.  But  Mr.  Flemming  permits  himself  to 
use  expressions  to  the  children  which  are  simply 
shocking. 

Flachs.  Aha !  at  his  bad  language  again.  What 
has  he  said  ? 

Mrs.  Bies.  Head  Master,  you  can  imagine  that 
it  is  not  easy  for  a  refined  lady  to  take  such  gutter 
language  into  her  mouth;  but,  after  all,  we  must 
protect  our  children.  "Mutton-head"  is  what  he 
has  said  to  my  child. 

Flachs.    Indeed.    (Presses  the  knob  on  the  table.) 

Negen.  {enters).    Mr.  Head  Master? 

Flachs.  Just  fetch  Alfred  Biesendahl  out  of  the 
First  Class. 

Negen.    Directly,  Head  Master.     (Goes  out,) 

Flachs.    Has  he  used  other  abusive  terms  ? 

Mrs.  Bies.  (taxing  her  memory).  For  the  moment 
I  cannot  think  of  any.  And  even  the  word  "  Mutton- 
head"  I  have  learnt  first  from  other  children;  my 
boy  said  nothing  of  it  at  home.  But  it  must  not 
rest  there.  Our  children  hear  no  coarse  or  rude 
expressions  at  home,  so  we  cannot  allow  them  to 
hear  anything  of  the  kind  in  school.  My  husband 
was  frightfully  angry;  I  had  great  trouble  in 
pacifying  him. 

(Alfred  enters,) 

Flachs.  (with  official  affability).  Now,  my  son. 
Tell  me,  now,  have  you  ever  been  abused  in  this 
school  ? 

Alfred  (wondering).    Abused  ?  .  .  .  No-o ! 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  43 

Flachs.  Think,  now.  Has  not,  for  example, 
Mr.  Flemming  ever  said  "Mutton-head"  to  you? 

Alfeed  {thinking  it  over,  dry  and  genial). 
Oh,  yes! 

Flachs.  Perhaps  Mr.  Flemming  has  used  other 
abusive  words  also? 

Alfeed.    Abusive  words  ?    No-o ! 

Flachs.  {encouraging  him  in  a  pleasant  way). 
Think,  now,  just  quietly  .  .  .  now? 

Alfeed.  Oh !  Mr.  Flemming  is  always  making  a 
joke  with  us ;  he  takes  us  by  the  ears  and  says, 
**  Look  out,  you  rascals,  I'll  hang  you  up  by  the 
legs,"  and  then  we  laugh  like  anything. 

(Mes.  Biesendahl  shakes  her  head  angrily  and 
exchanges  a  look  with  Flachsmann.) 

Flachs.  Yes,  but  we  are  not  talking  now  of 
cracking  jokes ;  I  mean,  has  Mr.  Flemming  ever  in 
earnest  slanged  you ;  for  example  .  .  .  "blockhead" 
.  .  .  or  "jackass"  .  .  .  or  "  bullock." 

Alfeed.  No;  "bullock"  is  what  my  father 
always  says. 

Mes.  Bies.    Oh,  Freddy  ! 

Flachs.    That  will  do,  my  son ;  you  can  go. 

[Alfeed  goes  out. 

Mes.  Bies.  I  cannot  imagine  where  the  boy  has 
got  that  .  .  .  my  husband  never  says  anything  of 
the  kind  .  .  . 

Flachs.  You  can  rely  upon  it  that  I  will  severely 
reprimand  Mr.  Flemming  ;  I  require  my  people  to 


44  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

treat  children  in  a  kindly  spirit  and  to  refrain 
absolutely  from  all  offensiveness  or  derision. 
(Meaningly,)  Truly,  if  a  man  has  not  a  genuine 
love  .  .  . 

Mrs.  Bies.  Yes,  Mr.  Flachsmann,  you  may  well 
say  that.  This  Mr.  Flemming  seems  to  be  altogether 
an  extraordinary  person  to  be  training  young  people. 
I  have  been  told  that  he  has  actually  hung  up  a 
picture  of  a  naked  man  in  the  class  and  has  taught 
the  children  from  it.  I  don't  think  that  such  things 
should  be  in  the  school ;  and  a  teacher,  who  has  to 
train  up  young  people,  should  keep  himself  under  a 
little  restraint.  {Pretentiously.)  When  a  man  has 
no  ability,  he  is  not  worth  anything  in  any  way. 

Flachs.  Mmm.  .  .  .  Yes,  dear  Mrs.  Biesendahl, 
this  instruction  is  not  after  my  own  heart ;  but  we 
have  to  teach  it.  Well  .  .  .  that  is  all  right ! 
(Slight  how.)     Goodbye. 

Mrs.  Bies.    Goodbye,  Head  Master. 


SCENE  XI 

Flachsmann.    Negendank.    Then  Diebcks. 

'FijA.cu^.  (calling  out),    Negendank! 
Negen.    Head  Master. 
Flachs.    Have  you  the  absence  list  ? 
Negen.    Certainly,  Head  Master. 
Flachs.    And  the  excuse  notes  ? 
Negen.    Certainly,  Head  Master. 

(Flachsmann  takes  the  list  and  seats  himself, 
Negendank,  with  some  notes  in  his  hand, 
also  approaches  the  table.) 

Flachs.  Charles  Dierckmann  is  absent  again. 
What  is  wrong  with  him? 

Negen.    Here  is  the  note.     {About  to  read,) 

DiEROKS  {comes  hastily  through  the  middle  door), 
Mr.  Flachsmann!  Can  I  speak  to  you  for  a 
moment  ? 

Flachs.    Yes  ?    Is  it  something  .  .  .  ? 

DiERCKS.    Yes.     {Nods.) 

Flachs.    Negendank,  leave  us  alone. 

Negen.    With  pleasure,  Head  Master.     {Goes.) 

DiERCKS.    Great  news  ! 

45 


46  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Flachs.    Well  ? 

DiBRGKS.  Weidenbaum  has  just  come  into  the 
class-room  and  told  me  that  Kleinmiiller  died  last 
night.  That  makes  a  place  vacant  in  the  first 
salary  grade.  Flemming  and  myself  have  the  first 
claim  for  it.    We  have  the  same  amount  of  service. 

Flachs.  Well,  you  need  not  trouble  yourself  at 
all ;  leave  it  to  me.  I  have  reported  on  you  and 
him  in  such  a  way  that  you  get  the  promotion 
and  he  doesn't. 

DiERCKS.  Is  that  so  ?  Ah,  but,  my  dear  fellow, 
the  thing  does  not  appear  to  me  by  any  means  so 
certain. 

Flachs.  {with  a  glance  at  the  doors).  Pst !  {He 
goes  to  the  left-hand  door  and  makes  sure  that  there 
is  no  one  behind  it.) 

DiERCKS  {lower) .  Who  knows  whether  the  rascal 
has  not  his  friends  on  the  Board  ?  The  scoundrel  is 
a  fine  hand  at  putting  his  best  foot  foremost.  That 
was  his  way  long  ago  at  the  Training  College.  Jack 
Flemming  was  always  a  prime  boy.  Why,  he  always 
had  "  views  "  in  his  compositions  and  lessons  and 
nothing  behind  it !  And  he  peached  on  the  other 
men  to  the  principal  1 

Flachs.  {anxious  and  uneasy).    Is  that  true? 

DiERCKS  {drawing  hack  at  once).  Of  course,  I 
cannot  prove  it  .  .  .  you  need  not  let  it  go  farther 
.  .  .  but  I  could  swear  to  it.  Of  course,  he  managed 
it  so  that  nobody  noticed  anything.  It  was  not  for 
nothing  that  it  was  "Flemming  here  "  and  ''Flem- 
ming there."    And  look  now,  if  I  could  once  cut  out 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  47 

this  rascal,  if  I  could  say  to  his  face,  "  You,  the 
sapient  Flemming,  the  'gifted'  Flemming,  *the 
universal  genius,'  you  are  not  promoted,  but  I  am 
promoted  "...  that  would  be  a  real  treat,  that 
would  be  the  greatest  triumph  I  could  imagine. 

(DiEBCKs's  class  meanwhile  has  become  noisier  and 
noisier.  The  gentle  prattle  at  first  has  gradually 
risen  to  a  babel  of  voices.) 

Flachs.  {almost  timidly).  You  must  really  look 
after  your  class. 

DiEECKS  (opens  the  middle  door,  stands  in  the 
open  class-room  door  and  shouts  in).  Will  you  be 
quiet?  (Instantly  a  dead  silence  prevails.)  If  I 
hear  as  much  as  another  sound,  I'll  take  the  first 
fellow  out  and  give  him  a  whipping  that  he  will 
remember.  (Closes  the  front  door.)  Look,  now; 
the  Board  will  sit  on  Friday  morning.  They  will 
certainly  call  for  a  report  from  you  before  then. 
The  Inspector,  too,  will  make  inquiries  of  you 
during  the  next  few  days ;  and  so  I  wish  to  supply 
you  with  some  material. 

Flachs.  (with  malicious  eagerness).  Ah!  Have 
you  anything  fresh  ?    What  is  it,  then  ? 

DiBECKS.  I  lately  took  his  place  in  his  class 
when  he  was  ill. 
Flachs.  Yes,  yes !  And  ? 
DiEECKS  (cocksure).  Just  take  your  note-book. 
(Flachsmann  quickly  seats  himself  at  the  desk.) 
(Standing  in  front  of  the  desk,  reading  out.)  Now : 
Mr.  Flemming's  pupils  could  repeat  the  Prophets  of 


48  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

the  Old  Testament  well  enough  forwards,  but  could 
not  repeat  them  backwards. 

Flachs.  And  yet  I  have  expressly  prescribed  this 
exercise. 

DiEECKS.  Eighty-three  per  cent,  of  the  scholars 
were  not  writing  at  an  angle  of  45  degrees,  some 
more  slanted,  and  the  greater  number  far  more 
upright.  Mr.  Flemming  had  told  the  boys  they 
could  do  for  that  just  as  they  wished. 

Flachs.  That  is  .  .  .  that  is  really  .  .  .  this 
audacious  rascal  is  upsetting  everything  that  I 
have  built  up. 

DiEBCKS.  On  the  27th  of  May  Mr.  Flemming,  of 
his  own  authority,  granted  permission  to  a  boy 
to  absent  himself  from  two  lessons. 

Flachs.    It  is  incredible  !    Without  asking  me  ! 
DiEECKS.     Mr.   Flemming  moreover  related  to 
his  class  the  "Wanderings  of  Ulysses,"  although 
they  are  not  in  the  Syllabus. 

Flachs.  The  man  is  getting  bolder,  instead  of 
humbler. 

DiEECKS.  On  the  15th  of  June  .  .  .  that  is  to- 
day .  .  .  Mr.  Flemming  described  his  superior,  the 
Head  Master,  as  an  old  fox. 

Flachs.  {with  calm  complacency).  Indeed !  Then 
he  does  not  appear  to  think  me  such  an  utter  fool  as 
he  did  before. 

DiEECKS.  Oh,  but !  Yes,  indeed.  He  said  just 
after  that  under  your  management  nothing  but 
imbecihty  was  done !  The  great  man  of  course 
makes  an  exception  of  himself ! 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  49 

Flachs.    Well,  well !     We  will  imbecility  him. 

DiEECKS.  Now  listen  to  this:  On  the  8th  of 
June  Miss  Gisa  Holm  visited  Mr.  Flemming  in 
his  class-room  ;  on  the  13th  of  June  Mr.  Flemming 
visited  Miss  Holm  in  her  class-room  ;  and  on  the 
14th  of  June  Miss  Holm  again  visited  Mr. 
Flemming  in  his  class-room;  and  on  each 
occasion  they  spent  a  considerable  time,  up  to 
thirteen  minutes,  privately  in  the  respective 
rooms.    What  do  you  think  of  my  observations. 

Flaohs.  That  is  very  interesting.  That  is 
quite  .  .  . 

DiERCKS.  It  cannot  go  into  your  report,  but  it 
can  be  used  otherwise. 

Flachs.  That  is  really  delicious.  And  to  me  she 
is  .  .  .  {all  at  once  recollecting  himself)  I  mean  .  .  . 
generally  to  the  rest  of  us  in  the  school  she  is 
always  the  Lady  Disdain. 

DiERCKS.  She  will  soon  be  more  approach- 
able. 

Flachs.  We  must  keep  a  good  look-out  there. 
{hi  the  excitement  over  the  last  piece  of  intelligence 
has  risen  and  walked  up  and  down.  The  talking  of 
the  class  has  again  swelled  to  a  mighty  hubbub. 
Flachsmann  goes  over  and  places  himself  in  the 
class-room  door.)  {With  official  amiability,)  Ah ! 
dear  children!  What  conduct  is  this?  I  am  sure 
you  are  dear  good  children.  Now  just  be  quite  quiet 
and  well-behaved  and  do  your  lessons. 

Chorus  of  Children  {behind  the  scene),    Yesss! 

Flachs.    Do  you  promise  me  that? 
4 


50  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Choeus.    Yesss ! 

(Flachsmann    comes   hack    and   again   closes    the 
middle  door.) 

DiERCKS.  You  must  especially  make  it  plain  in 
your  report  that  he  is  continually  undermining  your 
authority ;  that  in  the  conferences  he  is  always  in 
opposition,  and  with  his  eternal  proposals  and 
innovations  keeps  the  whole  staff  in  a  state  of 
commotion :  you  can  put  up  with  that  least  of  all. 

Flachs.  Don't  you  trouble  yourself.  Leave  it 
to  me.  I  have  myself  a  pile  of  things  against 
him.  He  will  not  be  promoted ;  you  can  take 
your  oath  of  that.  {Timidly.)  But  you  had  better 
go  to  your  class  now  .... 

DiERCKS.    Hm. 

Flachs.    And  .  .  .  look  .  .  .  Diercks  .  .  . 

DiERCKS.    Well  ? 

Flachs.  The  other  day  you  wrote  business 
letters  during  school  hours  ...  for  your  insurance 
agency  .  .  .  don't  let  any  one  see  that. 

DiERCKS.  If  you  shut  your  eyes,  nobody  will 
see  it. 

Flachs.  Well,  you  are  different,  but  still  it  is 
not  in  order.     If  the  Inspector  were  to  come  .  .  . 

DiERCKS.  My  dear  fellow,  no  one  knows  better 
than  you  do  that  the  Inspector  sees  nothing  but 
what  you  show  him. 

Flachs.  Yes,  but  somebody  from  the  Depart- 
ment might  come. 

DiERCKS.     Have  you  ever  seen  one?     And  if 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  51 

anybody  does  come,  he  is  swaddled  up  so  that 
his  eyes  are  watering.  And  you  are  a  good  hand 
at  a  march-past  display. 

Flachs.  Just  so.  And  if  Flemming  sees 
through  it? 

DiEECKS.  Flemming  ?  The  great  man  carries 
his  nose  much  too  high;  he  sees  nothing.  And 
if  he  does  see  anything,  he  never  tells. 

Flachs.  And  just  now  you  said  yourself  that  he 
had  peached  to  the  head  of  the  Training  College. 

DiEBCKS  (embarrassed  for  the  moment).  Yess! 
even  if  .  .  .  that  is  something  different.  .  .  . 

Flachs.  Anyhow,  I  must  tell  you  this :  you 
must  not  go  any  farther  ...  I  certainly  won't 
stand  in  your  way  .  .  .  but  I  cannot  permit  that. 
The   Inspector  has  already  dropped  a  remark  .  .  . 

DiEECKS.  That  is  not  true!  Or  else  you  have 
given  him  a  hint.  Otherwise  it  would  never  enter 
his  head.  I  vote  we  stick  to  our  old  bargain: 
you  do  nothing  to  me  and  I'll  do  nothing  to 
you.  You'll  get  into  no  tight  place  through  me, 
make  your  mind  easy.  {Great  uproar  and  crying 
from  the  class,  as  if  a  beating  were  going  on.) 
Damned  pack  !  {Goes  in  a  rage  into  the  class-room.) 

Flachs.  {to  himself  looking  after  him).  Pick- 
pocket !  If  I  could  once  get  properly  rid  of  you ! 
{Sits  down  at  the  table  and  after  a  little  time  presses 
the  bell.) 


SCENE  XII 

Flachsmann.    Negendank. 

Negen.    Head  Master  I 

Flachs.  Negendank!  {confidentially)  >  Can  you 
report  anything  to  me  about  Flemming? 

Negen.  About  Mr.  Flemming?  No,  Head 
Master. 

Flachs.  You  know,  I  told  you  you  might  take  a 
look  sometimes  .  .  .  and  keep  your  ears  open  .... 
what  Mr.  Flemming  is  up  to  .  .  .  in  his  class-room 
.  .  .  and  elsewhere  .  .  .  don't  you  remember  that? 

Negen.    Certainly,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.    Well  ?    What  have  you  seen  ? 

Negen.    I,  Head  Master  ? 

Flachs.    Yes,  yes ! 

Negen.    Nothing,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.  Nothing?  (Stealthily.)  I  told  you, 
you  know,  you  were,  without  anybody  seeing,  to 
go  into  the  room  next  to  Mr.  Flemming's  class, 
where  you  could  hear  every  word  plainly,  and  see 
everything  through  the  split  in  the  packing  of 
the  wall. 

Negen.    Certainly,  Head  Master. 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  53 

Flachs.    Well,  have  you  done  so? 

Negen.    No,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.  {angrily).  Why  not?  (Negendakk  re- 
maining silent)  {Sharply  hut  in  suppressed  tone.) 
What  I  tell  you,  you  must  do,  once  for  all. 

Negen.    Certainly,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.    I  cannot  do  everything,  you  know. 

Negen.    No,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.    You're  a  dolt. 

Negen.  {steadily  and  with  military  composure). 
No,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.    What  ? 

Negen.  {as  before),    I  am  no  manner  of  dolt. 

Flachs.  Tut!  read  the  notes.  (Negendank 
puts  a  pair  of  pince-nez  with  tape  on  his  nose 
and  takes  the  excuse  notes,)  What  is  up  with 
Charles  Dieckmann? 

Negen.  {reads  with  imperturbable  gravity  and  in 
a  business-like  tone) : — 

**  Honourable  Mister  Flachsmann,  —  The 
undermentioned  certify  hereby  that  on  account  of 
a  marriage  pledge  us  have  over-sleeped  the  time. 
This  morning  sure  enough  we  are  the  worse  of 
it,  you  know  very  well ;  and  when  we  look  at  the 
watch  and  think  it  be  seven,  it  is  eight  sure  enough, 
because  it  has  stopped.  Consequentially,  please  not 
to  punish  my  son  Charles,  for  it  is  just  myself  that 
has  earned  the  flogging,  which  like  a  gentleman  you 
must  excuse. 

"  Fred  Dieckmann." 

Flachs.    Yes,  a  whipping   too  would  be  very 


54  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

healthy  for  the  good  people  ...  it  is  a  pity  they 
can't  get  it. 

Negen.  But,  Head  Master,  I  think  we  must 
still  have  some  regard  to  the  economic  conditions ; 
the  man  has  to  work  hard  every  day 

Flachs.     Go  on,  go  on.    Gustavus  Waldau. 

Negen.  {reads) : — 

**  Most  Noble  President, — With  deep  regret  I 
take  my  pen,  in  order  thereby  to  inform  your 
honour  that  I  have  kept  my  Gussy  from  school 
for  three  days  on  account  of  sickness  of  his  person. 
The  doctor  holds  it  for  an  acute  stomach  guitar,  but 
I'm  thinking  inside  mumps. 

"With  most  humble  reverence, 

"Lizzie  Waldau." 

Flachs.  She  should  have  sent  notice  before,  the 
good  woman. 

Negen.  Yes,  but  I  think  we  may  make 
allowance  here,  Head  Master ;  she  is  a  very  nice, 
refined  woman  .  .  . 

Flachs.  (casually).  What  is  it  she  writes? 
"Most  noble  .  .  .?"  {tahes  the  note  and  reads). 
Hem  .  .  .  well  ...  I  will  overlook  it  this  time, 
but  tell  her  that  she  must  give  timely  notification 
of  her  son's  illness.  Go  on.  Hermann  Stoppen- 
brink. 

Negen.  (reads)  : — 

"Eespected  Master, — My  gentle  better-half 
has  bolted.  So  I  am  here  all  alone  and  am  wife, 
man-servant,  maid-servant,  cattle,  and  all  that  shall 
be ;  therefore  Hermann  is  late  in  coming  to-day. 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  55 

Don*t  be  angry,  Master;  the  wife  has  never  been 
any  good.    This  certifies  with  deep  respect, 

"  John  Stoppenbeink. 
*'  Widower  for  the  time  being  y  with  four  children'* 
Flachs.    a  pigsty  of  a  household  ! 
Negen.    So  I  always  thought.    The  woman  was 
to  me  in  a  manner  a  philological  riddle.  .  .  . 
Flachs.    Indeed.    Go  on.    Gerard  Maass. 
Negen.     (reads) : — 

"Most  Honoured  Sir, — My  son  cannot  go  to 
school,  because  he  has  hurt  his  foot. 

''With  deep  respect, 

Frederick  Maass." 
Comical  style!  {A  knock.) 
Flachs.    Come  in. 


SCENE  XIII 

Flachsmann.  Negendank.  School  Inspector 
Brosecke  enters.  {Greats  burly  and  very 
well-nourished  gentleman,  with  red,  round 
face,  snow-white  hair  and  minister's  heard. 
No  spectacles.  Long  frock-coat  buttoned  up. 
His  whole  appearance  breathes  good  cheer, 
comfort,  and  tremendous  good-humour.  The 
old  boy  has  a  broad,  festive  way  of  speak- 
ing. He  accompanies  his  words  very  often 
with  a  cheerful  laugh,  apropos  of  nothing.) 

Bros.  Good  morning,  my  dear  Mr.  Flachs- 
mann. 

Flachs.  (treating  him  with  great  deference,  but 
without  any  embarrassment).  Ah,  good  morning, 
Mr.  Inspector.  This  is  a  great  honour,  Mr. 
Inspector.    Be  so  very  kind  as  to  take  a  chair. 

Bros.  Thank  you,  thank  you  (about  to  seat 
himself  on  the  ordinary  chair  to  the  right). 

Flachs.  Pray  here,  Mr.  Inspector,  if  you 
please. 

Bros,  (seats  himself  in  the  arm-chair  to  the  left). 
Thank  you,  many  thanks,  thank  you. 

56 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  57 

Flachs.  Negendank,  leave  the  notes  here  in  the 
book.  I  will  look  after  them  myself.  And  take 
this  order  and  get  it  signed  by  all  the  members  of 
the  staff. 

Negen.    Certainly,  Head  Master.    (Goes  out.) 

Bbos.    Always  on  duty !   always  organising ! 

Flaohs.    Order  rules  the  world,  Mr.  Inspector. 

Beos.  Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha  .  .  .  yes,  yes.  It  is  always 
a  pleasure  to  me  to  see  your  school,  ha-ha-ha  .  .  . 
everything  goes  there  like  grease,  like  .  .  .  like  clock- 
work .  .  .  ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.  Everything  miHtary  ; 
ruff,  ruff,  ruff,  ruff  .  .  .  like  the  drill-ground  .  .  . 
ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.  Bravo,  bravo  !  You  make  my  post 
an  easy  one,  dear  Mr.  Flachsmann. 

Flachs.  That  gives  me  a  great  deal  of  pleasure, 
Mr.  Inspector.  Will  you  not  just  hear  the  teaching  ? 

Bbos.  {with  great  energy  and  laughingly  depre- 
cating) .    No  no  no  no  no  no  no !    Why  should  I  ? 
I  know  that  all  is  going  capitally  !     Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha 
...  I  should  only  be  interfering  and  deranging 
the  machinery — ha-ha-ha-ha  .  .  .  Yes. 

Flachs.    And  how  is  your  health,  Mr.  Inspector? 

Beos.  Aaaaah  I  .  .  .  that  might  be  better.  I 
have  always  at  night  such  an  oppression  in  the 
stomach— ha-ha-ha-ha.  .  .  .  Yes  (earnestly).  By  the 
way,  now  I  think  of  it,  I  wished  to  ask  you  the 
address  of  the  people  you  buy  your  ham  from. 

Flachs.  I  will  write  it  down  for  you,  Mr. 
Inspector. 

Beos.  The  ham  is,  I  tell  you  .  .  .  oooooh  .  .  . 
that  ham  is  something  really  marvellous.    The  lean 


58  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

so  ...  so  firm  .  .  .  and  still  as  tender  ...  as,  as 
short-dough.  Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha  .  .  .  and  the  fat !  Eosy 
as  apple-blossom  !  And  sweet !  {screwing  up  mouth 
and  finger) — sweet  as  a  nut.  Just  .  .  .just  de- 
licious. 

Flachs.  {who  has  repeatedly  assented,  hands  him 
a  slip  of  paper) .    This  is  it,  Mr.  Inspector. 

Bros,  (reads).  "Joachim  Immensack"  .  .  .  (the 
rest  unintelligible).  Thanks,  thanks,  dear  Mr. 
Flachsmann,  thank  you  very  much.  (The  school 
bell  sounds.)  What,  is  ...  is  that  not  nine 
o'clock  ? 

Flachs.    Yes,  Mr.  Inspector. 

Bros.  Oh,  then  I  must  see  about  getting  on.  I 
have  still  to  go  next  door  to  the  girls'  school.  .  .  . 
Ah,  it's  on  my  mind  that  there  was  something  I 
wanted  you  .  .  .  (lays  his  fingers  on  his  forehead) 
hmm  .  .  .  No,  I  can't  remember  it.  Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha 
.  .  .  can't  remember  it !  Well,  goodbye,  dear  Mr. 
Flachsmann,  goodbye ;  don't  stir. 

Flachs.  If  you  please,  Mr.  Inspector  (escorting 
him  to  the  door). 

Bros,  (suddenly  turns  round  in  the  door).  Stay, 
now  I  have  it.  Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.  Eight.  On  Friday 
morning  we  have  a  meeting,  and  a  teacher  is  to  be 
promoted  then  into  the  first  salary  grade  in  place  of 
the  late  .  .  .  eh  ?  .  .  . 

Flachs.    Kleinmiiller. 

Bros.  Eight :  Kleinmiiller.  It  lies,  so  far  as  I 
know,  between  two  gentlemen  from  your  school 
.  .  .  Mr.  Diercks,  I  think,  and  Mr.  .  .  . 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  59 

Flachs.    Flemming. 

Beos.  Flemming,  that's  it.  Which,  then,  do 
you  recommend,  eh  ? 

Flachs.    Mr.  Diercks,  unquestionably. 

Beos.  Very  well.  Mr.  Diercks.  He  is  the  son 
of  our  late  clerk,  Diercks,  that  we  had  at  the  School 
Board,  is  he  not  ? 

Flachs.    Quite  so,  Mr.  Inspector. 

Beos.  Very  well.  Then  you  do  not  recommend 
Mr.  Flemming  ? 

Flachs.  No,  by  no  means.  Mr.  Flemming  is  an 
offensive  and  refractory  man,  full  of  intellectual 
arrogance,  although  he  wants  nearly  every  qualifi- 
cation for  a  good  teacher.  He  is,  unfortunately, 
a  very  disturbing  element  in  our  school  system, 
and  will  never  accommodate  himself  to  strict 
discipline  .  .  , 

Beos.  {who  for  the  first  time  exhibits  any  ex- 
pression of  serious  concern).  Oh  ...  I  am  sur- 
prised, Mr.  Flachsmann.  And  yet  this  Flemming 
has  the  reputation  of  being  an  uncommonly  gifted 
man  !  Yes,  yes,  I  have  myself  often  found  that.  A 
great  talent  is  as  often  a  curse  as  a  blessing.  That 
has  always  been  a  consolation  to  me.  Yes.  Well, 
you  will  send  me  a  report  on  both  of  them,  won't 
you? 

Flachs.  Of  course,  Mr.  Inspector;  and  you  will 
see  from  these  detailed  reports  that,  in  justice  and 
reason,  only  Mr.  Diercks  can  be  promoted. 

Beos.  Yes,  yes,  yes,  Mr.  Flachsmann.  I  leave 
myself  entirely  in  your  hands.    "  Detailed_^report,*' 


60  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

that's  the  thing.  I  shall  then  be  fully  acquainted 
with  the  case,  of  course.  Very  good.  Well,  cm 
revoir. 

Flachs.    Au  revoir,  Mr.  Inspector.    {Goes  out 
with  him,) 


SCENE  XIV 

Flachsmann.     Negendank.    Immediately  after 
Flemming. 

Flachs.  {standing  before  the  door  on  the  passage, 
his  hand  over  his  eyes).  Is  not  that  Mr.  Flemming 
standing  there  ? 

Negen.    Certainly,  Head  Master. 

Flachs.    Ask  him  to  come  to  me. 

Negen.  Directly,  Head  Master.  {While  he  goes 
to  the  right)  Mr.  Flemming  .  .  .  {The  rest  un- 
intelligible.) 

(Flachsmann  seats  himself  at  his  table  and  talces 
up  a  black  letter-case.) 

Flemming  {enters  and  walks  up  to  the  table). 
Mr.  Flachsmann  ? 

Flachs.  {with  official  impressiveness).  Take  a 
seat.  (Flemming  sits  down.)  You  are  free  at 
present,  are  you  not? 

Flemming.    Certainly. 

Flachs.  {after  an  impressive  pause).  A  report  on 
you  has  been  called  for.  In  order  to  show  you  how 
thoroughly  candid  and  generous  I  am  in  dealing  with 

61 


62  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

you,  I  will  communicate  to  you  orally  the  strictures 
which  I  intend  to  pass. 

Flemming  {quite  cool  during  the  first  half  of  the 
scene).  Would  it  not  be  still  more  candid  and  still 
more  generous  if  you  were  to  let  me  read  the  whole 
report  ? 

Flachs.    The  reports  are  confidential. 

Flemming.  But  it  is  your  duty  to  communicate 
your  strictures  to  me  personally. 

Flachs.  It  is  altogether  in  my  discretion  how 
far  I  shall  discharge  this  duty. 

Flemming.  A  duty  should  be  fully  discharged, 
Mr.  Flachsmann. 

Flachs.  I  am  glad  to  find  that  you  have  now 
discovered  that. 

Flemming.  That  is  no  discovery,  Mr.  Flachs- 
mann; that  was  always  my  established  principle. 

Flachs,  {irritably).  Let  us  come  to  the  point. 
I  will  take  first  what  concerns  your  conduct  when 
off  duty.  The  day  before  yesterday  you  returned 
from  a  carousal  with  several  friends  at  three  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  and  then  from  pure  wantonness 
flung  yourself,  with  all  your  clothes  on,  into  the 
mill-pond  and  swam  about  in  it  for  a  considerable 
time. 

Flemming  {gaily).    Yes,  it  was  capital ! 

Flachs.  You  were  then  noted  by  a  policeman 
for  unauthorised  bathing. 

Flemming.    True. 

Flachs.  I  wish  to  draw  your  attention  to  the 
fact  that  by  such  proceedings  you  forfeit  in  the  eyes 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  63 

of  the  parents  that  respect  which  is  necessary  for  a 
successful  discharge  of  your  duties.  A  teacher  must 
exercise  quite  exceptional  caution. 

Flemming  {drily).  If  he  cannot  swim,  un- 
doubtedly. 

Flachs.  I  am  not  speaking  of  swimming,  but 
quite  generally.  You  have  also  attended  a  public 
meeting,  where  the  Housing  Problem  was  dis- 
cussed. 

Flemming.  True.  As  teacher  I  am  interested 
in  the  dwellings  of  my  pupils. 

Flachs.  That  is  unnecessary.  A  teacher  must 
restrict  himself  entirely  to  the  work  in  his  class  and 
cheerfully  leave  all  such  things  to  the  authorities. 

Flemming  (still  with  quiet  enjoyment).  But  you 
are  quite  unaware  that  I  was  cordially  received  by 
the  meeting. 

Flachs.  That  is  a  matter  of  indifference.  A 
teacher  should  remain  entirely  apart  from  public 
life.  That  retains  for  him  the  respect  of  the 
citizens,  and   is   also  safer  for  him. 

Flemming.  Mr.  Flachsmann,  I  attach  much 
more  importance  to  my  rights  than  to  my  safety. 

Flachs.  {spitefully).  All  right,  if  you  are  wiUing 
to  bear  the  consequences. 

Flemming.    That  will  I. 

Flachs.  To  your  conduct  while  on  duty  still 
greater  exception  can  be  taken,  unfortunately. 

Flemming  {dolefully).    Ah! 

Flachs.  On  one  hot  day  you  brought  the 
children  to  the  yard  and  allowed  them  to  take  off 


64  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

their  jackets  and  taught  them  yourself  in  your 
shirt-sleeves. 

Flemming.  Do  you  know  that  Pestalozzi  often 
did  the  same? 

Flachs.  Pestalozzi  could  do  what  he  hked.  You 
can  not  do  what  you  like.  Apart  from  the  fact  that 
it  was  highly  discreditable  and  indecent,  you  did  not 
ask  my  permission  :  that  is  the  worst  feature  of  all. 
The  teacher  must  submit  to  the  superior  authority. 

Flemming  {calmly).  The  teacher  must  not  be  a 
slave,  says  Kousseau;  otherwise  he  makes  of  the 
child  another  slave. 

Flachs.  Eousseau  is  nothing  to  me.  For  my 
school  the  important  thing  is  what  I  say.  The 
school  is  not  to  make  slaves  of  the  children,  but 
subjects. 

Flemming.    Aha ! 

Flachs.  Further,  you  have  repeatedly  overlooked 
errors  in  the  written  exercises  of  the  pupils. 

Flemming.  Mr.  Flachsmann !  After  correcting 
fifty  exercise  books,  a  man  at  last  becomes  stupid. 
The  only  man  that  doesn't  become  stupid  is  the  man 
that  has  no  occasion  to  become  so. 

Flachs.  Oh !  I  have  in  my  life  corrected  just  as 
many  exercise  books  and  I  have  not  become  stupid. 

Flemming  {drily).    No? 

'FhACB.s,  (stares  suspiciously  at  him).  No.  Farther, 
you  permit  yourself  arbitrary  deviations  from  the 
programme.  For  instance,  you  have  set  only  fifteen 
towns  in  England  while  the  programme  prescribes 
thirty-three. 


MASTER  FLACHSMAN:N  65 

Flemming.  On  the  other  hand,  I  have  told  the 
children  a  lot  about  coal  and  cotton — things  which 
they  daily  use  and  have  before  their  eyes,  and  which 
for  England  and  Germany  are  of  more  importance 
than  197  towns.  The  children  enjoy  it,  and  it  is 
more  to  their  advantage  than  cramming  their  heads 
full  of  dead  names,  for  which  afterwards  no  mortal 
man  would  give  a  straw. 

Flachs.  {with  calm  malignity),  Mr.  Flemming  ! 
All  these  notions  you  can  certainly  entertain,  only 
you  must  not  put  them  into  practice  in  the  school. 
You  have  also  told  the  **  Wanderings  of  Ulysses  "  to 
the  Third  Class. 

Flemming.  Certainly.  On  account  of  their 
immense  poetic  value  .  .  . 

Flachs.  Mr.  Flemming!  Poetry  is  an  extra. 
Poetry  has  no  business  in  the  school  ...  so  far, 
of  course,  as  it  is  not  prescribed  by  the  Board. 
That  brings  me  to  another  point.  It  is  part  of 
the  .  .  .  **  reforms,"  which  you  are  so  eager  for, 
that  you  should  try  to  bring  Art  into  the  school. 
You  have  hung  the  walls  of  your  class-room  with 
pictures ;  you  grow  flowers  in  the  class-room ;  you 
have  even  gathered  the  children  in  the  evening, 
have  read  them  things  of  Goethe  and  Schiller, 
and  have  provided  them  with  music.  By  that 
means  you  simply  give  the  children  a  craving,  and 
divert  them  from  the  essentials.  I  must  forbid 
that. 

Flemming  {still  controlling  himself),  Mr.  Flachs- 
mann !     You  cannot  endure  me  since  the  first  day  I 

5 


66  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

put  foot  in  your  school.  That  is  mutual ;  no  more 
can  I  you.  Why  shall  we  not  speak  out  honestly  ? 
I  applied,  as  you  know,  a  full  year  ago  for  a  trans- 
fer. The  officials  did  not  understand  my  feelings. 
Boards  never  know  that  a  man  has  feelings.  The 
Board  "  notified  "  me  "in  the  negative,"  and 
directed  me  to  conform  to  the  instructions  of  my 
superiors. 

Flachs.  (with  triumphant  malice) .    Was  that  so  ? 

Flemming.  But  we  are  two  incompatible  op- 
posites.  You  are  for  repeating  a  million  times  **  the 
good  old  plan,"  I  am  for  testing  the  new.  That  is 
the  abomination  of  school-mastering ;  there  is  no 
flight  of  Icarus,  no  enterprise,  no  storm,  no  stress. 
The  man  who  wishes  to  do  something  great  wishes 
for  the  impossible.  You  choose  to  walk  in  the  steps 
of  your  hundred  thousand  predecessors,  I  seek  for 
new  ways,  I  .  .  . 

Flachs.  {still  with  malicious  placidity).  Mr. 
Flemming,  the  school  has  no  need  for  your  new 
ways.  It  needs  only  faithful  discharge  of  duty, 
especially  loyalty  in  little  things.  Teaching  is  now 
so  perfected  that  it  needs  no  reforms. 

Flemming  {mimicking  his  tone).  Mr.  Flachs- 
mann !  So  the  Chinese  think ;  not  so  the  Germans. 
I  must  try  another  way  of  explaining  myself  to  you. 
To  you  school-mastering  is  a  trade,  to  me  it  is  an 
art.  You  imagine  you  can  '* regulate"  the  correct 
education.  .  .  .  Mr.  Flachsmann,  not  with  a  million 
"  regulations "  can  you  get  near  the  work  of  a 
teacher.     When  I  stand  in  front  of  my  fifty  little 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  67 

chaps,  then  in  front  of  me  rise  up  fifty  souls  and 
fifty  Hving  organisms.  When  the  fifty  hearts  strive 
towards  me  and  I  give  to  them  the  best,  the  fairest 
that  I  have,  then  every  third  party  is  an  intruder, 
then  wells  up  from  my  powers  the  law  of  my 
creative  force.  When  I  stand  before  my  fifty  little 
chaps  there  are  one-and-fifty  forges  at  work  in 
whose  fire  the  future,  not  the  past,  is  wrought. 
(Growing  warmer.)  You  have  had  for  my  work 
and  its  fruits  never  a  look,  never  a  word.  For 
four  years  I  have  been  gasping  for  breath  in  this 
atmosphere  of  intellectual  death.  For  four  years 
you  have  been  screwing  me  down  as  if  I  were  a 
dead  wheel  in  the  dead  machinery  of  your  school. 
I  am  a  free  creative  mind,  and  create  what  I  will 
and  what  I  must. 

Flachs.  (as  above).  For  all  that,  you  must 
permit  me  in  future  to  supervise  your  work 
somewhat  more  closely  than  hitherto.  (Flemming 
rises  with  a  sudden  start.)  Why  do  you  rise? 
I  have  not  yet  dismissed  you. 

Flemming  (very  curt  and  gruff).  I  wish  to  stand. 

Flachs.  (watches  him  with  an  upward  look). 
You  will  henceforth  each  day  submit  the  exercises 
of  your  pupils  to  me  for  inspection.  (Flemming 
regards  him  steadily  and  in  silence.  Pause.)  (As 
above,  gradually  becoming  less  positive.)  You  will, 
farther  make  written  preparation  for  your  lessons 
and  submit  these  notes  to  me  each  time  for 
examination.  (Flemming  as  above.  Pause.)  (As 
above,   growing    still    more   uncertain,)    You  will, 


6S  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

farther,  send  me  in  a  report  in  writing  on  the 
result  of  each  lesson.  (Pause.)  In  this  way  I 
still  hope  in  time  to  make  an  efficient  teacher 
of  yon. 

Flemming  (still  regards  him  steadily,  and  then 
bursts  into  a  roar  of  laughter.)  Ha-ha-ha-ha- 
ha-ha  ! 

.  .  .  You  hope  to  make  an  efficient  teacher  of  me  ? 
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha !  .  .  .  Are  you,  then,  a  teacher  ? 

Flachs.  (on  the  watch.)     So  I  thought. 

Flemming.  You?  A  teacher?  You  are  a 
scholastic  cobbler.  And  a  paltry  one  at  that; 
with  no  more  than  a  single  last.     (Pause.) 

Flachs.  (has  slowly  risen  and  stands  behind  his 
table.)  Mr.  Flemming,  you  must  know  that  for 
this  expression  you  will  have  to  answer  before 
the  Disciplinary  Board.  Meanwhile  to  me  you 
have  to  render  an  account  of  another  matter. 
Although  I  ordered  it,  you  have  not  punished 
your  pupil,  Peter  Dormann,  who  was  insubordinate 
to  Mr.  Diercks. 

Flemming.  The  lad,  Peter  Dormann,  was  wan- 
tonly and  unjustly  accused  by  Mr.  Diercks.  The 
boy  justified  himself  in  a  proper  way.  Therefore 
Mr.  Diercks  called  him  a  "brazen  liar"  and 
attempted  to  beat  him.  This  the  boy  resisted, 
and  in  doing  so  he  acted  rightly. 

Flachs.  (loftily).  That  is  quite  irrelevant.  A 
pupil  must,  under  all  circumstances,  obey. 

Flemming.  That  is  your  system,  I  know.  All 
character  and  originaHty  is  crushed.     But  I  do  not 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  69 

acquiesce.  Whether  I  pocket  a  wrong  is  my  own 
concern.    My  pupils  I  protect. 

Flachs.  Well,  then  the  boy  will  be  punished 
by  some  one  else. 

Flemming.  I  do  not  think  so,  Mr.  Flachsmann. 
Whoever  strikes  the  little  chap  must  first  strike  me, 
and  as  for  me  ...  I  pay  back. 

Flachs.  {scolding).  Mr.  Flemming!  You  will 
yet  find  that  I  am  master  here. 

Flemming  {with  lofty  superiority.)  Mr.  Flachs- 
mann! That  is  an  error.  You  are  the  higher  in 
rank,  but  I  am  the  master.  I  close  the  conference. 
{Goes  out,) 

DiEECKS  {comes  hastily  from  the  door  of  the 
apparatus  room).    That  is  really  magnificent. 

Flachs.    That  breaks  his  neck. 

The  Curtain  Falls. 


SECOND  ACT 

The  assistants'  room.  On  the  wallsj  maps  and 
observation  charts,  a  time-table,  and  a  press 
with  a  small  reference  library ;  two  large 
portraits  of  Pestalozzi  and  Comenius.  A  door 
in  the  middle,  a  window  to  the  right  front.  In 
the  middle  of  the  room  a  table  to  seat  eight  or 
ten  persons.  On  the  table  stands  to  left  and 
right  a  large  ink-bottle. 


SCENE  I 
Betty  Stubhahn.    Weidenbaum. 

Betty  {sits  before  a  high  pile  of  exercise  books 
and  corrects  with  great  energy,  underlines  them 
with  emphasis,  revises,  bangs  down  the  exercise 
books  and  stows  them  in  a  heap.  Underlining  one 
error  with  specially  ponderous  fury) .  Thunder  and 
lightning ! 

Weiden.  {enters).    Good  morning,  madam. 

Betty  {with  her  usual  gruffness) .    Morning. 

71 


72  MASTER   FLACHSMANN 

Weiden.  (proceeds  with  circumstantial  delibera- 
tion to  prepare  his  lunch.  He  takes  a  spirit  lamp 
from  a  press,  lights  it,  aiid  sets  on  it  a  small  tea- 
kettle, fetches  a  cup  and  pours  into  it  a  carefully 
measured  quantity  of  [meat  extract,  dc).  I  prefer 
now  to  boil  the  water  for  my  soup  myself;  the 
porter's  wife  never  cooks  it  enough.  And  I  have 
to  be  so  careful  about  my  stomach.  (Betty 
remains  silent.)  (Goes  out  and  fetches  water  in 
his  tea-kettle.  Returns. )  Well,  have  you  heard 
that  the  business  is  in  full  swing?  The  inquiry 
about  Flemming  has  begun.  Flachsmann  has 
furnished  a  report,  and  the  report  is  with  the 
Board  by  this  time.  (Betty  gives  a  S7iarl  and 
corrects  on.)  Yes,  and  when  the  thing  has  gone 
before  the  Board,  a  man  may  pack  up  his  traps. 
It  has  become  serious.  He  is  sacked  without 
mercy.  The  new  Head  Inspector  lately  sent  a 
teacher  straight  home  out  of  the  class  and  said 
he  need  not  come  back.  Simply  packed  off,  without 
"  by  your  leave."  They  say  that  he  said,  **  If  a  man 
does  not  do  what  he  is  bid,  I'll  chase  him  out,  till 
he  hasn't  a  shoe  on  his  foot."  He  is  a  slasher,  oh 
my!  (Betty  silent.)  Well,  I  must  say,  I  think 
that  is  quite  right.  Subordination  there  must  be. 
If  the  teacher  does  not  obey,  how  are  his  pupils  to 
learn  obedience?  If  you  run  risks  you'll  come  to 
grief.  Isn't  that  so?  (B:ktty  as  before,)  Perhaps 
I  disturb  you  ? 

Betty  (bluntly.)    You  do. 

Weiden.    Pardon.    (After  a  short  pause.)    Well, 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  73 

that  is  what  he  has  got  by  his  eternal  objec- 
tions and  self-conceit  and  his  new  ideas.  I  have 
been  eighteen  years  with  Mr.  Flachsmann;  but 
have  you  ever  heard  that  I  have  gone  against 
him? 

Betty  {energetically.)  No!  Except  when  it 
was  about  the  salary  question,  then  you  were 
the  bitterest  of  all ;  that  is,  when  there  was  no 
risk. 

Weiden.  Oh,  well,  that  is  a  totally  different 
thing,  surely  ?  .  .  .  Hem  .  .  .  When  I  want  to,  I 
have  new  ideas  myself;  but  I  do  not  bring  them  into 
the  school.  That  only  causes  trouble,  and  brings  a 
hornet's  nest  about  one.  I  do  my  duty,  and  don't 
trouble  myself  about  anything  else.  No  man  in  the 
wide  world  can  get  anything  against  me.  If  the 
Education  Minister  himself  were  to  come  here  he 
could  not  get  anything  against  me.  I  have  never 
in  my  life  got  a  reprimand.  Why  doesn't  Flem- 
ming  do  the  same  ?  I  can't  be  sorry  for  him.  {The 
school  hell  sounds.) 

Betty  {energetically  packs  up  her  exercise  hooks 
and  puts  them  under  her  arm) .  Well !  I  will  tell  you 
something.  To  me  Mr.  Flemming  is  an  abomina- 
tion, like  all  other  men.  Because  he  is  possessed 
by  the  fiend  of  pride,  like  all  other  men.  And 
because  he  is  such  a  silly  as  to  let  himself  be 
befooled  by  a  pretty,  smooth  chit  of  a  face,  like 
all  other  men.  But,  it  is  not  much  to  say,  after 
all  he  is  at  least  a  man. 

Weiden.    Ah  !  and  I  am  not  a  man,  eh  ? 


74  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Betty.     You  /    Listen.    If  you  are  a  man  then 
your  tea-kettle  is  a  man!     Good  digestion! 

[Exit  through  the  middle,  where  she  meets 
Vogelsang  and  Eiemann,  who  have  just 
entered.  They  make  way  for  her  almost 
timidly,  and  she  strides  sturdily,  without 
word  or  look,  between  them. 


SCENE  II 

EiEMANN  (resuming  an  interrupted  conversation 
with  triumphant  gusto).  Well,  of  course,  he  takes 
my  Queen  of  Clubs  with  his  King  and  plays  the 
Ace  after.  I  play  my  Knave  of  Diamonds.  Then 
I  play  Ace  of  Diamonds ;  down  come  King  and 
Seven,  then  Ace  of  Spades,  down  come  Queen 
and  Eight,  then  Ace  of  Hearts,  Nine  of  Hearts 
and  Seven ;  the  Ten  of  Clubs  that  had  been  cast 
makes  62.    Magnificently  won !    Ha,  ha,  ha,  ha  ! 

VoGEL  (has  lit  a  cigar).  You  play  Skat  every 
day,  I  suppose? 

EiEMANN.    What  else  is  a  man  to  do  ? 

VoGEL.  Well,  a  man  might,  for  instance,  read 
something. 

KiEMANN.    I  read  as  well. 

VoGEL.    What  do  you  read  ? 

EiEMANN.     Oh !  ...  the  paper. 

VoGEL.    How  long  do  you  play  every  day  ? 

EiEMANN.  Well  .  .  .  about  from  seven  to  twelve 
...  at  most. 

VoGEL.  Five  hours.  ...  I  say,  that  is  mag- 
nificent.   And  what  do  you  do  before? 

EiEMANN.    I  sleep  before. 

T6 


76  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

VoGEL.  What,  you  take  your  dinner  nap  till 
seven  o'clock  ? 

EiEMANN.  No-o-o  ...  I  drink  some  coffee  .  .  , 
and  then  I  go  down  now  and  then  to  my  land  and 
dig  and  rake  a  little. 

VoGEL.  A  contemplative  existence  1  Does  Hfe 
never  bore  you? 

EiEMANN  (na'ively.)     No. 


SCENE  III 
^5    before,     Flachsmann.     Later    Diercks    and 

KOMER. 

Flachs.  Gentlemen,  will  you  fill  up  these  lists, 
eh  ?  And  .  .  .  very  likely  Mr.  Inspector  Brosecke 
will  come  to-day  and  have  a  look  at  the  classes. 

Weiden.    The  Inspector  ? 

Flaghs.  Yes.  Be  a  little  careful,  therefore,  that 
everything  is  in  order,  if  you  please. 

The  Best  {nonchalantly.)    Yes  .  .  .  Yes. 

VoGEL  {holding  his  cigar  hidden  behind  his  bach). 
How  is  it  we  have  the  honour  of  a  visit  ?  This  did 
not  occur  before. 

Flachs.  Ah !  ...  on  account  of  .  .  .  Flem- 
ming.  It  is  only  that  he  may  have  been  here 
and  informed  himself  a  little,  in  case  he  is  ques- 
tioned. 

Weiden  {with  smirking  humility).  Well,  Mr. 
Inspector  wrings  nobody's  neck. 

Flachs.  That  is  as  it  may  be;  but  everything 
must  be  in  order. 

Weiden.  Yes,  yes  ...  I  do  my  duty  ...  so 
far  as  I  am  concerned.  .  .  . 

77 


78  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

KiEMANN  (inquisitively).  Is  the  inquiry  to  come 
off  soon? 

Flachs.  Yes.  (Short  pause.  Diercks  and 
KoMER  come  in.)  Mr.  Flemming  has  charge  in 
the  playground,  I  think? 

Diercks.    Yes. 

Flachs.  Has  he  not  also  the  next  hour  free? 
(Goes  to  the  time-table  and  runs  his  finger  along  it.) 

Vogel.  (takes  a  pull  at  his  cigar.)     Certainly. 

Diercks.    He  and  Miss  Holm,  I  believe. 

Flachs.  Hem !  .  .  .  (After  he  has  found  the 
place.)  So  it  is ;  Flemming  and  Miss  Holm  .  .  . 
(Exchanges  a  glance  with  Dibucks).  H'm!  (sniffing.) 
Gentlemen !  Somebody  has  been  smoking  here 
again. 

Vogel.  (also  sniffing).    Yes,  it  seems  so. 

Flachs.  Give  that  up,  gentlemen.  I  have 
already  repeatedly  forbidden  it.  You  give  the 
pupils  an  example  of  extravagance. 

Vogel.  (assenting  with  perfect  composure).  Un- 
doubtedly. 

Flachs.    A  teacher  should  not  smoke  at  all. 

Vogel.    Hm ! 

Flachs.  Salaries  appear  to  be  still  too  high. 
(Goes  out.) 


SCENE  IV 

As  before,  except  Flachsmann.    Later  Flemming. 

Some  of   the  gentlemen    have    unfolded  their 

lunch  and  fetched  beer  or  milk  from  a  press.) 

VoGEL.  {calmly  resuming  his  smoke).  He  would 
like  to  smoke  himself,  but  his  wife  does  not 
let  him. 

DiEECKS  (has  walked  to  the  windoWy  to  the  right 
front).  Just  look  at  the  turmoil  down  there. 
(Opens  the  window,  the  distant  noise  of  children 
playing  is  heard.)  Just  listen  to  the  row.  (Closes 
the  window  again.)  It  is  always  the  same  when 
he  is  in  charge.  And  still  we  have  to  maintain 
discipline. 

We  IDE  N  (has  also  gone  forward).  Yes,  and  then 
the  children  come  heated  and  with  red  cheeks  into 
the  class-room.  He  lets  the  children  in  on  him  too 
much ;  he  romps  about  with  them  himself  as  if  he 
were  a  youngster. 

EoMER  (beardless,  high-spirited  young  fellow  of 
twenty -one  years.  Jdger's  ^^  normal"  dress,  linen 
stand-up  collar) .  He  is  bound  to.  A  schoolmaster 
is  bound  to. 

79 


80  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Weiden.  Indeed  !  And  if  a  youngster  breaks 
his  leg  we  get  into  a  mess  about  it. 

KoMER  {emphatically).  Better  a  broken  leg  than 
a  broken  people.     (Vogelsang-  smiles.) 

The  Others.    Whoo ! 

KoMER.  That  is  the  reason  why  the  young  ones 
idolise  him.  And  not  merely  for  that.  Because  he 
is,  after  all,  one  of  the  finest  schoolmasters  there 
are.     {The  rest,  except  Vogelsang,  laugh  loud.) 

EiEMANN  {eating.)  Flemming  ?  Flemming  ? 
That  is  a  silly  fellow.  (Vogelsang  laughs  com- 
fortably.) Ay,  so  he  is  too.  If  he  wasn't  such 
a  silly  fellow  he  wouldn't  be  doing  things  to  get 
him  dismissed.  And  besides,  he  is,  for  instance, 
only  a  very  middHng  mathematician. 

VoGEL.  Have  you  proved  that  to  him,  Kie- 
mann  ? 

EiEMANN.  That  is  nothing  to  the  point,  sure? 
I  know  it  from  Schwensen,  who  says  it  too. 

DiERCKS.  Well,  does  he  know  anything  possibly 
in  other  branches?  It  is  all  pure  claptrap.  He 
knows  how  to  put  on  a  show ;   a  blab  he  is. 

Weiden.  Yes,  and  a  bad  comrade.  He  always 
puts  himself  forward.  His  way  of  always  showing 
off  by  holding  forth  in  public  and  making  pedagogic 
dissertations  .  .  .  you  must  yourselves  admit  that 
is  not  comradely.     {Assent.) 

VoGEL.  {imperturbahly) ,  Yes,  and  the  worst  is 
(general  attention) — the  worst  of  all  is  that  he  knows 
more  than  the  whole  of  us  together.  {Scoffing  and 
shouts  of  protest.) 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  81 

EiEMANN.    That  is  not  true. 

DiERCKS.     Eidiculous !     Kubbish ! 

Weidbn.    We'll  drop  that.  y  Together, 

EoMER.     Indeed,  he  does  know!     In- 
deed he  does ! 

VoGEL.  Well,  boys,  if  you  have  any  honesty, 
you  must  admit  that  yourselves.  When  Flemming 
at  the  conference  lets  himself  out  properly,  we  all 
sit  there  like  rushlights  and  the  sorriest  bit  of  a 
dip  is  our  friend  Flachsmann.  Flachsmann  knows 
nothing  except  his  miserable  Sic  volo,  sic  jubeo — 
I  will  have  it  so,  and  what  I  will  must  be  done. 
Ha,  ha,  ha !  Boys,  it  was  a  treat,  to  be  sure,  the 
day  Flemming  stood  up  and  said  as  calm  as  you 
like,  **Mr.  Flachsmann,  the  chief  thing  in  the 
school  is  not  you,  but  the  children !  " 

DiBROKS  (with  malicious  triumph) .  Just  so ;  that 
is  the  reason  why  he  is  getting  the  run  now. 

KoMER.  Is  that  so  ?  We'll  see  that  first.  That 
would  be  a  shabby  trick.  Then  we  protest. 
(Laughter.)     If  they  knew  up  at  the  Board  what  a 

genius  he  is (Loud  derisive  laughter  from  the 

others  except  VoaELSANG.) 

EiEMANN.  Dear  Eomer,  you  are  still  a  little 
too  green  to  have  your  say  with  colleagues  of 
experience.  Get  a  little  experience  first.  Get 
twenty  years  older  first;  judgment  comes  with 
years. 

Eomer.    Well,  if  that  is  your  only  hope  .  .  . 

EiEMANN  (not  understanding).    How  so  ?  hope  ? 

VoGEL  (with  a  complacent  laugh,  with  a  fatherly 

6 


82  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

air  to  KoMEB).  Comrade,  I  must  confess  you 
might  be  a  little  more  subdued;  but  I  will  by  all 
means  admit  that  when  we  were  at  your  age  we 
were  the  same  sort  of  cocky  dogs,  only  we  have  now 
forgotten  it.  Sentiment's  good  .  .  .  and  you  are  in 
the  right  too  .  .  .  only  the  temperature  a  little 
lower,  what  do  you  say? 

EoMER  (docilely).    Yes. 

KiEMANN.  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  That's 
cheek.  (Komer  starting  up  again.  Vogelsang 
calms  him  and  presses  him  down  again  on  his  seat.) 

Weiden  (sarcastic  and  moralising).  That  is  the 
spirit  of  pride,  which,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  is  rampant 
among  our  young  colleagues  and  by  which  our 
friend  Flemming  is  possessed  from  head  to  foot. 
I  must  say,  it  is  very  much  to  my  liking  that  the 
new  Head  Inspector  has  made  up  his  mind  to  make 
a  clean  sweep  there.  He  chucks  the  unruly  elements 
simply  to  the  deuce.  That  is  the  man  for  me. 
Monsieur  Flemming  is  always  thinking  he  must 
"elevate"  the  school  and  always  still  more 
"  elevate." 

DiEROKS.  I  tell  you,  he  never  thinks  of  the 
school.  The  fellow  has  no  heart  for  the  school.  It 
is  himself  he  wants  to  elevate.  Just  a  common 
place-hunter  he  is. 

VoGEL.    No,  no. 

KiEMANN.  So  he  is.  And  then,  what  is  the 
meaning  of  all  this  idiotic  rubbish :  "  Parents* 
Evenings,  Parents'  Evenings"?  He  wants  "to 
establish  the  natural  alhance  between  parents  and 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  83 

teachers."  **  The  whole  people  are  to  have  a  share 
in  the  work  of  the  school."  What  is  the  meaning  of 
such  twaddle?  What  do  the  parents  know  about 
children  ?  I  am  very  glad  that  the  parents  keep 
clear  of  me.  And  what  comes  of  it  ?  Only  more 
work  for  us.  "  On  at  least  one  evening  in  the 
month,"  he  thinks,  "  parents  and  teachers  should 
meet  together."  I  have  no  such  notion.  I  have  no 
time  in  the  evening. 
Wbiden.    Not  at  all.     -|   r^^,^;^,^. 

DiEECKS.      No.  J 

EiEMANN  {growing  warmer  and  warmer).  And 
after  all,  we  had  better  see  that  the  work  of  the 
teacher  is  simplified.  What  is  the  use  of  trash  like 
geometry  and  history  and  such  like?  When  the 
children  learn  to  read  and  write  that  is  quite 
enough.     What  more  do  they  want? 

VoGEL.     Eiemann,  don't  be  so  niggardly. 

KiEMANN  (foolishly).    Niggardly  .  .  .     How? 

VoGEL.  And  then  you  have  left  out  another 
necessary  branch.    Arithmetic. 

KiEMANN.    Well,  well.  Arithmetic. 

VoGEL.    They  will  need  that  later  on  for  Skat. 

Eiemann  (more  and  more  excited).  And  then  the 
next  is  that  nonsensical  stuff,  **  We  must  bring 
Art  into  the  school."  Such  rot !  What  do  the 
children  know  of  Art?  Art  is  entirely  a  thing 
for  rich  folk.  And  then  :  "  Growing  flowers  in  the 
school."  He  has  all  the  window-sills  full  of  flowers. 
{Silly  laugh.)  Just  as  if  the  children  were  all  to 
be  gardeners ! 


84  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Weiden.  To  begin  with,  I  have  moral  scruples 
about  this  so-called  "  aesthetic  culture." 

DiERCKS.     Quite  right. 

EiEMANN  {simultaneously,  very  excitedly).  Yes. 
But  stop,  I  must  tell  you  something.  I  was  lately 
one  day  in  his  rooms — I  must  tell  you  this.  He 
has  a  picture  there.  There  is  a  soldier  sitting  with 
a  plumed  hat  on  his  head,  sitting  before  a  table  laid 
out,  and  holding  up  a  glass  of  champagne.  And 
a  woman  sits  on  his  knee  and  he  has  his  arm  round 
her  waist.  And  the  two  look  as  bold  as  brass  out  of 
the  picture.  What's  this  it's  called?  I  .  .  . 
he  told  me  what  it's  called  .  .  .  m-m-m  .  .  . 
Kam  .  .  .  Kem  .  .  .  right — "Kembrandt  als 
Erzieher "  is  the  name  of  it.  (Vogelsang  and 
EoMER  laugh  loudly.)    What  is  there  to  laugh  at  ? 

VoGEL.    Nothing,  nothing  ;  tell  us  the  rest. 

EiEMANN.  Well,  I  asked  him,  "Would  you 
hang  up  this  picture  now  in  the  school-room  ? " 
"Why  not,  dear  Kiemann?"  said  he. 

VoGEL  (laughing).  Dear  Kiemann,  he  has  been 
quizzing  you  properly  again. 

DiERCKS.  But  he  has  a  half-naked  figure  stand- 
ing on  his  school  press !  And  that  is  what  is  called 
Art !  No  such  bawdry  for  me,  thank  you.  It  is 
a  real  blessing  that  the  fellow  is  to  be  hunted  out 
of  the  school. 

VoGEL.  But,  boys,  if  he  is  so  dead-broke  as 
all  that,  I  don't  understand  why  you  get  so  excited 
over  him.  You  really  are  only  showing  what  an 
infernal  respect  you  have  for  him. 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  85 

EoMER.  Just  SO.  {The  rest  set  up  together  a 
h/ugh  of  angry  derision.) 

DiERCKS.  ''Dead-broke."  He  is  not  dead  yet. 
Who  knows  how  that  fellow  will  wriggle  himself 
out  yet?  He  knows  far  too  well  how  to  play 
the  good  boy.  He  has  it  in  him.  {With  sudden 
rage,)  But  this  I  will  tell  you :  if  the  scoundrel 
is  not  hunted,  I  will  apply  to  the  Board  for  a 
transfer,  on  the  ground  that  I  will  not  work  any 
longer  with  such  a  fellow.  (Vogelsang  gives  a 
short  laugh.)  Yes,  you  always  take  his  side, 
Vogelsang.  {The  school  hell  sounds  ;  all  rise  to  go 
out.  DiERCKS,  catching  a  sudden  idea.)  Well,  ask 
Flachsmann  what  Flemming  has  said  about  our 
staff.  We  are  all  dead  and  rotten ;  he  is  going  to 
waste  here  among  us ;  he  is  the  only  one  that  is 
alive.  The  whole  body  has  no  striving  after  higher 
things,  no  idealism ;  he  is  the  only  one  has  it.  We 
are  rotten  duffers;  he  is  a  second  Pestalozzi.  He 
said  those  very  words.  If  you  don't  beHeve  me, 
go  down  at  once  to  Flachsmann  and  ask  him ;  we 
have  both  heard  it.  You  won't  think,  I  suppose, 
that  we  are  both  lying  to  you? 

VoGEL  {reflectively).  That  was  certainly  going 
it  strong. 

KoMER.  That  is  a  shabby  trick.  If  he  said  that, 
I  will  never  speak  to  him  again. 

DiERCKS.  He  said  things  of  that  kind  before. 
{Tries  to  convince  Komer.  Flemming  enters^ 
hangs  his  hat  on  a  hook).  I  must  to  my  class. 
{Slips  out  the  first  with  scarcely  dissembled  haste.) 


S6  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Flemming.  Ha !  it's  cooler  in  here  than  outside. 
Boys,  that  is  a  stew.  Have  you  left  me  ever 
a  bottle  of  beer?  (General  silence.  Kiemann 
and  Weidenbaum  slip  out  quietly.  Homer  goes 
brusquely  past  Flemming  and  cuts  him;  Flemming 
looks  after  him ;  Vogelsang  goes  out  last  thought- 
fully, loith  a  searching  look  at  Flemming.  Flem- 
ming looks  after  them  bewildered  and  then  breaks 
into  wild  laughter.)  Ha,  ha,  ha,  ha!  My  case 
must  be  a  bad  one ;  they  are  edging  off  from  me. 
My  colleagues  shrink  away  with  a  shudder,  the 
"colleagues!"  Ha,  ha,  ha!  {Again  looks  towards 
the  door  for  a  moment,  then  stretches  his  arms  up- 
loards  with  a  disencumbering  movement.)  Well, 
well.  {Seats  himself  at  the  table  to  the  right,  sets  to 
work  at  a  pile  of  exercise  books,  which  lie  on  it,  and 
begins  to  correct,  but  soon  rests  his  head  on  his  hand 
and  stares  straight  before  him.) 


SCENE  V 

GiSA.    Flemming. 

GiSA  enters  unobserved  by  Flemming.  She  is 
wearing  roses  in  her  bosom  and  her  hair^ 
under  the  left  arm  she  carries  a  pile  of  exercise 
books.  She  watches  Flemming  a  moment  and 
then  ''hems.''  Flemming  starts  up  and  then 
smilingly  nods  to  her. 

GiSA.  May  I  correct  here  with  you?  Above 
it  is  so  hot. 

Flemming.    I  beg  you  will,  Miss  Holm. 

GiSA  {lays  her  exercise  books  on  the  table  and 
seats  herself  to  the  left).  What  ails  you?  You 
were  sitting  quite  absorbed  there,  when  I  came 
in. 

Flemming.  I  was  meditating  on  my  own 
enormity,  and  the  amiability  of  other  men. 

GiSA.    That  sounds  wrong.    What  ails  you  ? 

Flemming.  When  I  came  up  just  now  from  the 
playground  my  colleagues  met  my  questions  with 
icy  silence.     They  cut  me ;  I  am  boycotted. 

GiSA.     Then  you  must  have  been  slandered.   And 


8S  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

no  person  except  Mr.  Diercks  can  have  done  that. 
I  warned  Mr.  Vogelsang  quite  lately  ;  he  would  not 
believe  me ;  but  Mr.  Diercks  is  a  schemer,  I  see 
it  in  him. 

Flemming  (calmly).  Yes,  he  is  a  blackleg.  One 
of  your  well-fed  blacklegs,  fat  and  funky.  So  long 
as  they  have  to  look  one  in  the  eye,  they  are 
tolerably  brave ;  when  they  can  look  aside,  they 
are  the  greatest  knaves. 

GiSA.  You  know  all  that?  And  yet  you  are 
often  so  free-spoken  to  him? 

Flemming.  Yes,  I  fear  no  schemer.  (Bending 
forward.)  Look  you,  dear  young  lady,  in  the  whole 
animal  kingdom  there  is  no  greater  donkey  than  the 
dirty  dog.  He  recognises  always  too  late  that 
he  is  really  a  mutton-head.  (GiSA  laughs.)  That 
is  the  zoology  of  moral  philosophy. 

GiSA.  Won't  you,  then,  take  your  colleagues 
to  task? 

Flemming  (a  short  laugh).  No.  'Tisn't  worth 
while. 

GiSA.    You  are  fearfully  proud. 

Flemming  (still  correcting  exercises),  I  daresay 
I  am. 

GiSA.    That  is  fine.  .  .  .    But  you  are  depressed. 

Flemming.    Why  ? 

GiSA.    Because  you  are  to  be  dismissed. 

Flemming  (bends  over  his  book) .    Hm ! 

GiSA  (drumming  on  the  table  with  comical  anger). 
Now  leave  that  stupid  correction  alone. 

Flemming.    I  must,  unfortunately. 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  89 

GiSA.  Nonsense.  I  must  also,  but  I  don't  do 
it.  (Flemming  laughs  out.)  (Goes  up  to  him, 
takes  the  pen  from  his  hand,  bangs  the  exercise  book 
to,  and  lays  it  away,)  Now !  Will  you  set  no  home- 
work to-day?  Teaching  is  stopped  owing  to  the 
heat !     There  are  30  degrees  in  the  shade  ! 

Flemming.    That  must  be  a  little  overdrawn. 

GiSA.  Oh,  no.  (Buns  to  the  thermometer,  which 
hangs  near  the  door.)  My  goodness!  Only 
19  degrees.  Do  you  know  what?  We'll  help  it 
a  little.  (Takes  the  thermometer  from  the  wall.) 
How  many  degrees  must  it  be  before  school 
stops  ? 

Flemming.    Twenty-two. 

GiSA  (takes  the  thermometer  and  blows  vigorously 
on  it,)    I  have  it. 

Flemming  (laughing).  Have  you  always  such 
an  aversion  to  being  in  school? 

GiSA.  Aversion?  Why  these  extenuating 
phrases  ?  I  know  nothing  that  breaks  up  holidays 
more  horribly  than  school  work. 

Flemming.    Ah !  now. 

GiSA.  Look !  You  can  give  me  a  piece  of 
advice. 

Flemming.    Certainly. 

GiSA.  Just  tell  me  some  folly  which  is  quite 
decorous  and  is  still  simply  colossal. 

Flemming.  And  what  do  you  want  this  folly 
for? 

GiSA.  I  will  commit  it.  So  that  the  Board  may 
dismiss  me. 


90  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Flbmming.  Why,  then,  did  you  become  a 
mistress  at  all? 

GiSA.  Because  my  step-father  forced  me  to.  I 
wanted  to  study  music.    But  I  wasn't  allowed. 

Flbmming.  And  why  don't  you  give  your  step- 
father the  slip? 

GiSA.  Because  I  cannot  desert  my  mother.  Be- 
cause I  .  .  .  but  please  do  not  laugh  at  me  .  .  . 
{lowering  her  eyes)  because  .  .  .  because  she  says 
that  I  am  her  only  comfort.  (Pause.)  At  first  it 
was  very  nice.  Learning  every  day,  that  was 
delightful.  I  should  like  to  be  always  learning. 
But  teach  I  cannot  possibly  do.  And  then  that 
dreadful  repetition.  And  the  correcting  ...  I 
can't  do  it.  And  then  I  am  so  awfully  sorry  that 
I  am  such  a  bad  teacher;  the  little  things  are  so 
sweet.  But  first  I  am  too  soft-hearted,  and  when 
I  become  strict  they  laugh  in  my  face.  I  can't 
manage  this  frightful  lot  of  children.  (With  comical 
simplicity.)  Ah !  if  they  were  my  own !  (Short 
pause.)  When  I  think  of  you  .  .  .  goodness  !  You 
curb  the  children  with  a  firm  hand,  and  still  their 
hearts  fly  to  you. 

Flemming.  And  yet  I  have  fought  the  same 
battle  myself. 

GiSA  (astonished).    How  so? 

Flbmming.  I  do  not  know  whether  you  are 
aware  that  I  was  a  locksmith  for  six  whole  years. 

GiSA.    A  locksmith ! 

Flbmming  (without  sentimentality ^  narrating  with 
a  quiet  smile  of  recollection).    My  guardian  declared 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  91 

schoolmastering  would  be  nothing  for  poor  children 
and  stuck  me  in  to  learn  the  locksmith  trade.  All 
day  I  stood  at  the  anvil  and  turning-lathe;  in  the 
evening  I  went  to  the  Technical  School.  And  when 
I  got  home  out  of  the  Technical  School,  I  fell  to  at 
the  handful  of  miserable  books  which  I  had.  But 
at  that  age  one  can  sleep  as  greedily  as  one  can  eat, 
and  that  is  saying  a  good  deal.  My  God  !  how 
delicious  it  was  to  lay  my  arms  on  the  book  and  my 
head  on  my  arms  and  to  fall  fairly  asleep.  The 
next  day  I  suffered  qualms  of  conscience  Hke  a 
gamester  who  has  played  away  all  he  has  in  one 
night.  (With  pensive  melancholy.)  Ah,  no !  no 
gambler  knows  such  pangs.  It  was  an  awakening 
without  hope,  a  grey,  cheerless  dawning.  The  more 
my  bodily  powers  felt  refreshed,  the  more  furiously 
I  raged  against  myself  for  succumbing. 

GiSA  (with  heartfelt  sympathy).  And  how  did 
you  at  last  become  a  teacher? 

Flemming.  When  I  had  been  two  years  a 
journeyman,  I  succeeded  in  getting  into  the 
Training  College.  The  principal  overlooked  the 
gaps  in  my  scholarship  ;  he  felt,  like  me,  that  a 
schoolmaster  I  must  be.  And  then  came  a  glorious 
time  of  work  and  hunger.  I  spent  most  of  the 
winter  in  bed,  for  I  could  not  afford  myself  coals. 
I  had  threepence  a  day  for  breakfast  and  supper 
and  three  free  meals  a  week.  At  first  I  had  five 
free  meals ;  but  for  two  of  them  I  had  to  pay  with 
my  principles,  and  I  remained  away.  On  Sunday, 
for  instance,  I  had  no  dinner.    And  it  so  happened 


92  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

that  every  Sunday  my  landlady  made  a  wonderful 
meat  soup  which  sent  its  fragrance  right  up  to  my 
room.  Once  I  was  on  the  point  of  giving  in.  My 
landlady  was  holding  a  huge  loaf  in  her  hand  and 
was  cutting  it  fine  and  deep.  I  had  it  on  the  tip  of 
my  tongue  to  say,  '*  Give  me  the  piece  of  bread"  ; 
but  I  held  my  hands  behind  my  back  and  squeezed 
one  against  the  other  so  tight,  so  tight.  When  I 
did  that,  nothing  would  shake  me.  So  I  instantly 
turned  on  my  heel  and  ran  up  the  stairs.  Of  course, 
in  spite  of  all  this,  I  had  to  go  in  debt ;  but  I  became 
a  schoolmaster,  and  so  with  all  my  debts  I  was  a 
rich  man  !    (Short  pause.) 

GiSA  (with  her  hands  folded  in  front  of  her  Jcnee 
and  with  a  far-away  look  of  still,  wistful  exaltation.) 
You  are  so  strong,  so  brave.  (A  short,  faint  laugh.) 
Ha,  ha !  when  I  was  still  a  quite  silly  little  goose 
.  .  .  sillier  even  than  I  am  now  ...  I  could  not 
think  of  a  strong,  brave  man  except  with  great 
beard  and  bronzed  chest.  I  dreamt  that  my 
husband  must  be  a  sailor. 

Flemming  {looking  at  her  full  in  the  face).  And 
now? 

GiSA  (starts  suddenly,  blushes  red  all  over  and 
stammers  in  distress  and  confusion).  Now  ?  Oh 
...  I  ...  I  don't  know  what  I  have  been  saying. 
I  have  certainly  been  saying  something  stupid  again 
.  .  .  I  .  .  .  (Grasps  at  an  exercise  book  and  begins 
correcting  with  comical  energy.  Flemming  regards 
her  a  mome^it,  then  looks  down,  sighs  deeply,  and  then 
takes  an  exercise  book  and  mechanically  turns  over 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  93 

the  leaves.)  {Her  calm  tone  restored,  hut  with- 
out looking  at  him.)  Now  I  see  why  you  have  be- 
come nothing  higher.  I  have  so  often  thought :  a 
man  of  so  much  abiHty  and  force  of  character,  why 
has  he  become  nothing  higher  than  a  schoolmaster  ? 

Flemming  {gravely).  There  is  nothing  higher 
than  a  schoolmaster. 

GiSA.  Oh  yes !  I  know.  But  say  a  master  in 
a  High  School  ...  or  a  professor  in  the  Uni- 
versity. .  .  . 

Flemming.  To  my  mind,  my  dear  young  lady, 
the  Elementary  schoolmaster  is  the  highest.  Aye, 
and  the  poorer,  the  more  forlorn,  the  more  neglected, 
the  dirtier  the  children,  so  much  the  more  glorious 
is  the  battle.  You  will  hardly  beheve  that  I  had  a 
great  longing  to  teach  half-witted  children. 

GiSA.    Ah! 

Flemming  {with  genial  cheeriness).  Ah !  is  there 
any  greater  pleasure  than  to  loosen  one  by  one  the 
thousand  bonds  which  clasp  the  imprisoned  spirit  ? 
Than  to  lure  forth  the  light  which  glimmers  so  far, 
far  away  behind  thousandfold  glooms.  To  seek  out 
in  his  darkest  den  the  great,  bloated  dragon  of 
stupidity,  to  slay  him,  and  to  lead  forth  in  safety 
the  Princess  Soul :  that  is  the  knightliest  pleasure 
that  I  know. 

GiSA.  And  you  were  fated  to  encounter  Flachs- 
mann ! 

Flemming  {with  a  bitter  laugh.)  Yes !  {Jumps 
up.)  His  spectre,  carrying  its  head  in  its  hand. 
His  memorandum  book  is  really  his  head.  If  he  has 


94  1  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

anything  in  the  book  he  need  never  have  it  in  his 
head ;  the  thought  holds  him  on  his  feet.  My  God, 
what  a  fellow  !  Let  it  be  a  tyrant,  if  you  like,  but 
at  least  one  who  has  some  decent  ability.  But  this 
man  does  not  object  to  being  a  nonentity,  so  long 
as,  like  the  axis  of  the  earth,  everything  turns  about 
him.  He  is  quite  satisfied  so  long  as  he  is  on  top, 
like  the  fly  on  the  back  of  a  horse. 

GiSA.  Ah !  but  you  will  get  rid  of  him.  And,  of 
course  you  will  get  a  place  at  another  school. 

Flemming.  After  being  dismissed  ?  After  coming 
to  grief  ?  Certainly  no  place  which  I  should  choose. 
In  Germany  none.  To  be  sure,  there  are  German 
schools  abroad.  But,  alas  !  no  school  in  Germany. 
(With  melancholy  mockery.)  ''  Ah !  full  many  other 
maidens ;  but  the  One  ...  it  is  not  she." 

GiSA.    You  love  the  school  as  if  it  were  a  girl  ? 

Flemming  (after  a  moment's  reflection,  hesitat- 
ingly). Yes.  Perhaps  it  is  something  like  that. 
And  yet  that,  alas !  is  not  love  enough.  That  is  a 
selfish  love.  It  is  a  spiritual  joy,  which  enraptures 
me  at  my  school  work.  The  moment  I  begin  teach- 
ing a  ferment  stirs  within  my  head  of  a  thousand 
notions  as  to  how  things  now  are,  and  of  a  thousand 
hopes  how  it  might  yet  be  with  the  spirit  of  man  ? 
But  when  I  ask  myself :  Do  you  really  love  the 
children?  You  do  for  them  perhaps  all  you  can, 
you  wish  for  each  of  them  the  best  .  .  .  but  is  that 
love  .  .  .  love?  Then  sounds  the  word  in  my  breast 
with  a  hollow  clang.  I  long  to  feel  for  once  this 
unutterable  glow,  this  inexhaustible  stream    that 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  95 

lavishes  the  very  life-blood.  (He  has  stopped  before 
the  picture  of  Pestalozzi  and  enthusiastically  stretches 
his  arms  towards  it.)  He  could  do  that — Pestalozzi, 
the  great,  the  holy !  His  thoughts  were  confused 
and  wayward,  his  speech  chaotic;  but  from  the 
gloom  of  his  thoughts  bursts  the  nightingale  of 
love,  sweet  and  full  and  unwearied.  So  long  as  I 
am  a  schoolmaster  I  must  wrestle  with  that  tre- 
mendous mystery :  where  is  the  path  which  leads 
to  the  great  love? 

GiSA  {after  a  pause,  with  timid  awe).  Do  you 
know  how  it  strikes  me?  I  had  a  little  brother 
who  died  when  he  was  eight.  Eudolph  was  his 
name.  And  when  I  cannot  manage  one  of  the  little 
ones,  when  in  despair  I  am  half  inclined  to  run 
away,  then  I  say  quietly  to  myself,  "  Think  that  it 
is  Eudy."    And  then  I  get  on  a  little  better. 

Flemminq  (has  approached  her  and  takes  her  left 
hand  with  his  own).  Dear  .  .  .  dear  young  lady. 
That  were  perhaps  the  way  .  .  .  {looking  at  her 
thoughtfully  all  the  time).  "When  you  came  here 
to  our  school  I  thought  that  you  looked  very  sweet. 
But  that  is  a  mistake ;  you  are  sweet. 

GiSA  {bends  her  head,  softly  and  with  embarrass- 
ment).   Oh,  no ! 

Flemming.  No?  Among  all  the  girls  whom  I 
know  there  is  none  who  so  .  .  .  whom  I  ...  I 
mean,  who  so  .  .  .  {He  falls  into  great  confusion.) 
Pardon  me,  lady  .  .  .  these  last  few  days  my  head 
is  in  such  a  whirl.  .  .  I  am  afraid  I  have  committed 
another  folly.    {Embarrassed  pause.) 


96  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

GiSA  (rises  and  moves  slowly  to  the  window).  It 
is  so  hot  here.  May  I  open  the  window  ?  The  sun 
is  off. 

Flemming.    If  you  please. 

{When  GiSA  has  opened  the  window  a  distant  song, 
which  before  was  barely  audible,  now  swells  in 
fuller  volume.  The  girls  of  the  neighbouring 
school  are  singing  in  three  parts  the  first  stanza 
of  the  song  "  Annie  of  Tharau.'') 

'•Annie  of  Tharau,  to  her  I  will  hold, 
She  is  my  life  and  my  goods  and  my  gold. 
Annie  of  Tharau  has  given  her  heart 
Into  my  keeping  till  death  do  us  part. 
Annie  of  Tharau,  my  queen  on  her  throne, 
Thou  art  my  soul  and  my  flesh  and  my  bone." 

GiSA  {during  the  singing).  Ssh  !  they  are  singing 
in  the  girls'  school;  isn't  it  lovely?  {She  stands 
bach  a  little  from  the  window.)  Flemming  stands 
behind  her  and  listens  also.  (When  the  song  has 
ceased.)  What  a  sweet  sound — don't  you  think  so  ? 
So  jolly!  I  am  awfully  fond  of  hearing  children 
sing.    Even  when  it  is  only  a  quite  simple  melody. 

Flemming.  The  heart  of  a  child  always  sings 
in  unison.  And  sings  the  same  part  as  the  mouth 
does.  That  suits  so  beautifully.  That  is  Krause's 
class  ;  he  is  a  real  musician  ;  I  have  often  when  .  .  . 

GiSA.     Ssh !  they  are  beginning  again. 

SONG  OF  THE  GIRLS. 

"E'en  as  a  palm-tree  that  springeth  on  high, 
Bowed  though  it  be  by  the  storms  of  the  sky ; 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  97 

So  all  our  sorrows  and  sufferings  and  tears 
Root  our  love  deeper  through  vanishing  years. 
Annie  of  Tharau,  my  queen  on  her  throne, 
Thou  art  my  soul  and  my  flesh  and  my  bone." 

(GiSA  stands  with  her  face  behind  the  window y  and 
as  she  begs  silence  stretches  her  left  hand  behind 
her.  She  thus  remains  in  the  excitement  of 
listening,  Flemming  tremblingly  takes  her 
hand;  GiSA  glances  at  him  with  a  swift  turn 
of  the  head  and  as  swiftly  looks  again  through 
the  window.  He  lays  his  right  hand  on  her  right 
shoulder  ;  she  closes  her  eyes  and  lets  her  head 
sink  slowly  backward  on  his  breast;  he  kisses 
her  on  the  forehead.  After  remaining  thus  for 
an  instant,  GiSA  turns,  flings  in  an  access  of 
passion  her  arms  around  his  neck  and  buries 
her  head  on  his  breast.) 

Flemming  {slowly  raises  her  head;  with  low- 
toned,  faltering  tenderness) .    Gisa ! 

GiSA  {the  same,  as  it  were  feeling  for  the  intimate 
word  of  address) .  Jack  !  How  strange  that  I  am 
now  to  say  **  thou."    May  I  once  venture? 

Flemming  {softly).    Yes,  venture  once. 

Gisa  {softly).    Thou. 

Flemming  {the  same).  Thou.  {Presses  his  mouth 
on  hers  in  one  long  kiss.  The  door  slowly  and  noise- 
lessly opens,  and  in  it  appears  Diercks  and  Flachs- 
MANN.  At  the  first  words  of  Dieroks  tJie  couple 
start  asunder.) 


SCENE  VI 

As  before,    Flachsmann.    Dieecks. 

DiERCKS  (sneeringly) .  Hm,  hm,  I  am  awfully 
sorry  to  interrupt  your  tete-a-tete,  I  merely 
wished  to  bring  you  the  pleasant  intelligence,  dear 
Elemming,  that  I  have  just  got  word  of  my  pro- 
motion. As  you  appear  to  have  decided  on  getting 
married  so  soon,  I  am  doubly  sorry  that  you  are  not 
promoted.  .  .  . 

Flemming  {immediately  recovering  his  composure, 
with  easy  good-humour).  Dear  Diercks  !  No  doubt 
you  meant  to  surprise  us  by  revealing  your  real 
sentiments  in  your  hour  of  triumph.  But  you  are 
mistaken ;  we  knew  long  ago  that  you  are  a  low  cad. 

Diercks  {foaming.)  What?  What?  The  .  .  . 
the  .  .  . 

Flemming  (genially).  Oh,  certainly,  ask  Miss 
Holm.  Were  we  not  saying  half  an  hour  ago  that 
Mr.  Diercks  is  a  low  cad? 

GiSA.    No. 

Flemming.    No  ? 

GiSA.    A  **  sharper  "  was  what  we  said. 

98 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  99 

Flemming  (to  DiERCKS).  Yes,  quite  right.  I 
beg  pardon — a  sharper. 

Flachs.  Mr.  Flemming,  you  have  in  the  first 
place  to  deal  with  your  superior  officer  and  with 
none  other.  You  have  within  the  sacred  walls  of 
the   schoolhouse  perpetrated  the  indecency  .  .  . 

Flemming  (quite  calmly).  Stay.  You  are  going 
to  say  something  indelicate.  Permit  me  first  to 
show  the  lady  out.     (Takes  GiSA  by  the  hand.) 

GiSA.  Jack,  if  they  attack  you,  I  will  stand  by 
you. 

Flemming  (smiling).  Against  such  people,  my 
child  ?  It  isn't  worth  while.  (He  kisses  her  hand.) 
Au  revoir. 

GiSA.    Au  revoir.  [Exit. 

Flemming.  Mr.  Flachsmann,  what  have  you  to 
say  to  me? 

Flachs.  (with  cold  complacency).  Nothing.  I 
will  confine  myself  to  my  report.  The  cup  is  now 
full.  If  anything  were  still  wanting  to  show  you  in 
your  true  light,  at  all  events  now  it  is  .  .  . 


SCENE  VII 
As  before.    Negendank. 

Negen.  (enters  and  remains  standing  at  the  door 
with  his  usual  imperturbability).  Mr.  Head  Master, 
the  School  Commissioner  is  within. 

Flaghs.  What  .  .  .  School  Commissioner  ?  You 
mean  the  School  Inspector  ? 

Negen.  No,  Mr.  Head  Master.  Mr.  Govern- 
ment School  Commissioner  Professor  Doctor  Prell 
is  within. 

Flachs.  (distractedly).  Where  .  .  .  where  .  .  . 
is  ...  is  he  ?  Show  him  into  my  room.  .  .  I  will 
come  at  once.  .  .  . 

Negen.  Mr.  School  Commissioner  is  already 
here. 

S.  C.  Prell  (behind  the  scene).  Where  is  the 
room  ? 

Weidbn  (appears  along  with  him  with  deepest 
reverence).  Here,  if  it  please  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner. 


100 


SCENE  VIII 
As  before.    Prell.    Weidenbaum. 

Prell  {a  little,  thick-set,  broad-shouldered  gentle- 
man, with  a  powerful  head,  short,  shi^iy  grey  hair, 
standing  on  end ;  complexion  rather  ruddy  ;  bottle- 
nose  ;  short,  grey  moustache  and  short  neck.  He  is 
dressed  all  in  black  and  scrupulously  neat ;  coat  with 
skirts  rounded  in  front ;  wears  a  low  chimney-pot, 
flashing  spectacles  with  circular  lenses,  and  creaking , 
very  shiny  boots.  He  is  an  extremely  brisk,  bustling 
person,  always  walks  with  very  short,  quick  steps, 
and  whenever  he  appears  has  the  chimney-pot  in  his 
right  hand  and  sundry  documents  in  his  left.  In  his 
bearing  and  air  he  has  the  look  of  a  half -pay  officer, 
and  almost  always  speaks  in  snappish  tones  and  in 
a  high  voice.  His  articulation  is  sharp,  and  he 
generally  speaks  in  little  snippety  sentences  and  at 
the  same  pace  as  his  steps.  After  each  sentence  he 
generally  makes  a  short  pause.  He  walks  straight 
over  to  the  left  end  of  the  table  and  sets  down  his 
papers  and  his  hat).     Good  morning. 

The  Others.  Good  morning,  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner. 

101 


102  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

PEBLli  (;to  Flaohsmann,  whoy  bowing  lotv,  has 
cautiously  approached).    You  are  Mr.  Flachsmann? 

Flachs.  At  your  service,  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner. 

Peell.  I  am  Government  School  Commissioner 
Prell. 

Flaohs.  (bows  low,  with  tremulous  voice).  A  high 
honour.  .  .  permit  me  to  offer  the  School  Com- 
missioner a  warm  ...  warm  welcome. 

Pbell  (seated  and  turnijig  over  the  documents). 
Thanks.  But,  welcome  or  not,  I  am  here.  [Notes 
something  with  ink  on  his  papers.)  This  is  your 
hour  for  teaching? 

Flachs.    Certainly,  School  Commissioner.  .  .  . 

Prell.  How  comes  it  that  I  find  you  here  and 
not  in  the  class-room  ? 

(DiERCKS  and  Weidenbaum  slip  out  as  quick  as 
they  can  go.) 

Flachs.  {with  assurance).  I  had  official  business 
here,  School  Commissioner.  It  was  my  duty  to 
detect  this  gentleman  {pointing  at  Flbmming)  in 
the  very  act  of  desecrating  in  the  most  shameless 
way  the  sacred  floor  of  the  school. 

(Flemming,  who  has  been  arranging  his  books  and 
standing  to  the  right  of  the  table,  suddenly 
advances  a  couple  of  paces.) 

Prell  {to  Flachsmann).  What  do  you  mean  by 
that? 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  103 

Flachs.  a  moment  ago  I  found  this  gentle- 
man tenderly  embracing  one  of  the  ladies  of  the 
staff. 

Prell  {advancing  to  Flemming  with  quick  steps, 
very  loud  and  brusque).    What  is  your  name  ? 

Flemming  {equally  loud  and  brusque).  My  name 
is  Flemming. 

Prell  {after  a  short  pause,  all  at  once  lowering 
his  tone).    Why  do  you  yell  like  that  ? 

Flemming  {with  matter-of-fact  courteousness) .  I 
presumed,  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  that,  as  you 
spoke  so  loud,  you  must  be  deaf. 

Prell  {measuring  him,  then  again  barking). 
Nonsense.  Hear  all  right.  But  you  are  an  unruly 
customer.  You  are  the  man  against  whom  the 
inquiry  is  pending? 

Flemming.  At  your  service,  School  Com- 
missioner. 

Prell  {tapping  him  on  the  collar  of  his  coat  with 
the  foreiinger).  You  are  the  man  that  has  brought 
me  here.  I  will  submit  your  proceedings  to  a  very 
searching  examination. 

Flemming.  Very  well.  School  Commissioner. 
{Goes  from  the  right  to  the  exit.) 

Prell  {takes  up  his  papers  and  hat).  You  will 
now  forthwith  submit  your  class  to  me. 

Flemming  {with  confident  cheerfulness).  With 
pleasure.  School  Commissioner. 

Prell  {again  stands  close  in  front  of  him  and 
measures  him  anew  ;  then  sharply) .  We  shall  see 
that. 


104  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Flemming.     Certainly,  School  Commissioner. 
Peell  (imperiously).     Show  me  your  class. 

[Exit  with  quick  steps.    Flemming  behind, 
Flachsmann  last. 

The  Curtain  Falls. 


THIED   ACT 

[The  scenery  of  the  first  Act) 
SCENE  I 

Negendank.    Kluth.    Later  Flachsmann. 

(Negendank  engaged  in  placing  chairs  round  the 
writing -table.) 

Kluth  (porter  of  the  neighbouring  girls'  school,  a 
great,  sturdy  fellow,  who  in  contrast  with  his  build 
betrays  a  prodigious  timidity,  wears  a  servant's  cap, 
which  he  removes  on  entering.  He  has  papers  in  his 
hand,  into  which  he  peers  cautiously) .  Is  the  coast 
clear  ? 

Negen.  Quite  clear.  Flachsmann  is  teaching, 
and  the  School  Commissioner  is  beside  him, 
listening. 

Kluth.  Here  are  some  lists  I  was  to  bring  over. 
(Gives  Negendank  an  envelope.  Negendank  takes 
it  and  lays  it  on  the  writing-table.)  (Glancing  round 
from  time  to  time,)  Well.  This  is  a  fine  smash,  to 
be  sure. 

lOS 


106  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Negen.  Yes.  We  have  given  the  sack  to  one  of 
them. 

Kluth.  That  Prell  is  a  fine  dangerous  customer, 
to  be  sure. 

Negen.  (makes  with  his  hand  a  sign  of  assent). 
He  bites.  And  the  worst  of  it  is  that  he  knows 
something  of  what  he  is  about. 

Kluth.    Oh,  my ! 

Negen.  There  is  no  humbugging  him.  He  sees 
everything. 

Kluth.  Aye,  indeed.  You  need  a  long  spoon  to 
sup  with  men  Hke  that. 

Negen.  He !  He  sups  nothing.  (Moving  nearer 
to  Kluth.)  The  second  day  after  he  came 
Flachsmann  got  a  beautiful  breakfast  ready,  and, 
when  it  came  to  ten  o'clock,  says  he:  ** Perhaps 
Mr.  School  Commissioner  would  please  to  take  a 
modest  breakfast."  You  ought  to  have  seen  the 
glasses  of  the  spectacles!  "Thanks,"  he  snorts, 
"never  take  breakfast."  Mark  me,  dear  Kluth,  a 
boss  who  takes  no  breakfast  is  dangerous. 

KiiUTH.    Yes,  yes.    And  so  he  is  done  for. 

Negen.    Who  ? 

Kluth.    Mr.  Flemming. 

Negen.    Flemming  ? 

Kluth.    Yes,  who  are  you  talking  about,  then  ? 

Negen.  Not  Flemming.  You're  the  very  deuce. 
It  is  Diercks  he  has  chucked. 

KiiUTH.    Diercks  ? 

Negen.    Yes,  of  course. 

Kluth  {inquisitive  and  uneasy).    What  for  ? 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  107 

Negen.  Because  he  fabricated  school  exercises. 
He  palmed  off  things  for  school  exercises  which  he 
had  done  himself.  But  that  is  not  the  worst.  He 
has  directly  put  up  the  children  to  lying  and 
cheating. 

Kluth.  Oh,  my !  Oh,  my !  and  then  he  has 
sacked  him? 

Negen.  On  the  spot.  "  Leave  the  school-house 
this  moment,  and  never  show  yourself  again."  He 
flew  out,  how,  he  did  not  know  himself. 

Kluth.  Well,  I  must  say  this  much :  a  thing 
like  that  could  never  happen  in  our  school. 

Negen.  (grievously  offended).  Well,  to  be  sure! 
I  will  say  this  much,  my  dear  Kluth :  even  if  we 
had  here  three  more  Diercks,  still  our  Alma  Mater 
stands  ever  a  hundred  miles  above  your  so-called 
Finishing  Academy.  (Flachsmann's  voice  is 
heard.) 

Kluth  (in  a  flurry  approaches  the  exit).  But 
how  is  that?  .  .  .  I  .  .  .  something  .  .  . 

Negen.  Just  wait  till  the  Commissioner  has 
been  with  you.    He  inspects  the  servants  too ! 

Kluth.    Does  he  ?    Well,  I  must  run. 

Negen.    I  guessed  as  much. 

Kluth  (runs  into  Flachsmann  in  the  doorway ; 
stuttering  out  some  gibberish).  Ah  ...  ah  ...  I 
.  .  .  hav-hav  .  .  .  be-be  .  .  .  ek  .  .  .  the  quarterly 
returns  her  .  .  .  here. 

Flachs.  (distractedly).    All  right,  all  right. 

[Kluth  exit. 


SCENE  II 
Flachsmann.    Negendank. 

Flachs.  (rigged  out  in  black.  He  is  completely 
distracted  and  absent-minded ,  and  constantly  wipes 
the  perspiration  from  his  forehead).  Have  you  put 
in  the  chairs  ?  Are  they  quite  enough  ?  {He  begins 
counting  them  over  and  over  again  but  never  finishes , 
because  his  mind  wanders  off,)  Is  my  necktie 
straight  ? 

Negen.    Permit  me.    (Sets  his  scarf  right.) 

Flachs.  (darts  off  and  makes  a  couple  of  steps.. 
Then  hastily  going  up  to  Negendank).    Have  you 
anything  yet  .  .  .  anything  of  Flemming  ...  I 
mean :     Can    you    tell    me    anything    about    Mr. 
Flemming  .  .  .  anything  you  have  seen? 

Negen.  About  Mr.  Flemming?  No,  Head 
Master. 

Flachs.  (with  suppressed  excitement) .  Have  you 
not  watched  him  ...  as  I  told  you  ? 

Negen.  (perfectly  imperturbable).  No,  Mr.  Head 
Master. 

Flachs.  (quivering).    Why  not  ? 

108 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  109 

Negen.  a  soldier  does  not  eavesdrop,  Mr. 
Flachsmann. 

Flachs.  {shrieking  with  senseless  fury).  Bosh! 
blasted  bosh!  You  are  a  servant  here,  and  not 
a  soldier. 

Negen.  A  soldier  always  remains  a  soldier,  Mr. 
Flachsmann. 

Flachs.  {yelling  still  louder).  I  will  give  you  the 
sack,  I  will  .  .  .  {suddenly  glancing  outside  and 
recovering  himself y  close  to  Negendank's  face),  I 
will  repay  you  for  that. 

Negen.  {without  moving  a  muscle).  Very  well, 
Mr.  Head  Master. 

Flachs.  {again  begins  running  aimlessly  about, 
goes  to  his  table  and  knocks  about  the  things  which 
are  lying  on  it.  Fumbles  at  the  bottom  of  his 
coat  and  waistcoat;  suddenly  disquieted).  Have  I 
whitened  myself  behind  ?    Give  me  another  brush. 

Negen.    All  is  right,  Mr.  Head  Master. 

Flachs.  Better  give  me  another  brush.  (Negen- 
DANK  takes  a  brush  from  a  drawer  of  the  writing- 
table  and  does  so.)  {Again  with  sudden  impulse.) 
Have  you  seen  Diercks  since?  Has  he  said  any- 
thing to  you? 

Negen.  Mr.  Diercks?  No,  Mr.  Diercks  has 
only  .  .  .  {The  Commissioner  enters.) 

Flachs.    Hush  ! 


SCENE  III 
As  before.    Peell. 

Peell  (enters  with  quick  step  and  stops  beside 
Negendank,  who  stands  bolt  upright.  After  he  has 
benevolently  surveyed  him).    Good  morning ! 

Negen.  Good  morning,  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner. 

Peell.  You  have  summoned  the  whole  staff 
here  for  eleven  o'clock? 

Negen.  According  to  order,  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner. 

Peell.  Then  of  course  the  children  are  left 
without  supervision.  What  do  "  we "  do  then, 
Mr.  Negendank? 

Negen.  We  simply  send  all  the  children  to  the 
playground,  and  I  undertake  the  control. 

Peell.    Indeed.    You  are  competent  to  do  that  ? 

Negen.  Quite,  Mr.  School  Commissioner.  That 
is  what  I  do  when  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  meet 
here  to  receive  their  so-called  salary. 

Peell.    Indeed.  Well,  then,  leave  us  alone  now. 

Negen.  With  pleasure,  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner. 

110 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  111 

Prell.  Stay.  One  thing  more.  Before  the 
conference  Mr.  Flemming  is  to  come  to  me  by 
himself. 

Negen.    To  command,  Mr.  School  Commissioner. 

[Exit 


SCENE  IV 
Flachsmann.    Pbell. 

Prell  {seated  in  Flachsmann' s  chair),  Mr. 
Flachsmann. 

Flachs.  {hastens  to  ^Ae  Commissioner's  left  side). 
Mr.  School  Commissioner? 

Prell.  You  still  owe  me  an  explanation,  how 
Diercks  could  perpetrate  this  unprecedented  fraud. 

Flachs.  (stuttering).  Yes,  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner, I — I  do  not  really  know  .  .  . 

Prell.  "  I  do  not  really  know  "  is  a  nonsensical 
answer.  You  surely  know  that  you  are  appointed 
here  to  know,  don't  you? 

Flachs.     Certainly,  Mr.  School  Commissioner. 

Prell.  It  is  no  question  of  one  momentary 
transgression.  The  fellow's  whole  class  is  com- 
pletely neglected.  How  do  you  explain  that  ?  How 
do  you  explain  the  fact  that  only  a  few  weeks  ago 
you  reported  most  favourably  on  this  man,  and 
recommended  him  for  promotion? 

Flachs.  I  placed  blind  confidence  in  the  man, 
and  .  .  . 

Prell.  {cutting  him  short).    Why? 

113 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  113 

Flachs.  Because  .  .  .  because  he  had  previously 
done  very  good  work ;  yes,  very  good. 

Prell.  Well.  That  is  quite  possible.  But  if 
your  confidence  was  ever  [so  blind,  even  a  blind 
man  must  have  seen  that  the  fellow  was  idling. 

Flachs.  (tries  to  give  a  brighter  aspect  to  the 
matter).  I — I  have  again  been  too  good-natured, 
Mr.  School  Commissioner. 

Prell.  Well;  why,  then,  were  you  not  good- 
natured  towards  other  members  of  your  staff  who 
deserved  it  much  more  ?  How  was  that  ?  (Flachs- 
MANN  helplessly  shrugs  his  shoulders.  A  knock.) 
{Shaking  his  forefinger  back  and  forwards.)  There 
is  something  wrong  there.  Come  in.  We  will  talk 
of  this  again. 


SCENE  V 

Flemming.    Prell.    Flachsmann.    Later 
Charles  Jensen. 

Flemming  {enters),    Mr.  School  Commissioner? 

Prell  {barking  as  hefore,  hut  kindly).  Take  a 
seat.  (Flemming  seats  himself  on  the  last  chair  to 
the  left.)  Mr.  Flemming,  you  have  committed  a 
serious  offence  against  discipline.  A  man  of  your 
intelligence  will  have  recognised  that  this  cannot  be 
allowed  to  pass. 

Flemming.    Assuredly. 

Prell.  You  have  certainly  no  want  of  intelli- 
gence. Your  work  in  the  class  proves  that.  You 
are  more  than  intelligent — you  are  even  .  .  . 
{breaking  off).  Well,  well.  Your  work  in  the 
class  is  good.  Is  very  good.  {Looks  for  a  moment 
straight  before  him  and  then  jumps  up.  Flemming 
quietly  rises  and  leans  on  the  back  of  his  chair,) 
{Buns  up  and  down  several  times  and  then  stands 
close  to  Flemming.)  Pre-eminently  good.  {After 
some  more  steps.)  But  that  is  in  this  case  a 
matter  of  indifference.  You  have  treated  your 
superior  as  if  he  were  an  ass.    That  won't  do. 

HI 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  115 

We  must  nip  that  in  the  bud.  No  matter  how 
brilliant  your  achievements  may  be — above  every- 
thing I  like  your  lesson  in  history.  .  .  .  You  are 
fond  of  teaching  history? 

Flemming.    Not  specially. 

Prell.    Why  not  ? 

Flemming.  My  notion  of  history  is  much  the 
same  as  Schopenhauer's  and  Nietzsche's. 

Prell.  Ah.  We  must  have  a  talk  about  that 
one  day.  But  you  have  a  perfect  mastery  of  the 
subject.    You  have  read  Lamprecht? 

Flemming.     Certainly. 

Prell.    And  Eanke,  of  course  ? 

Flemming.    Certainly. 

Prell.    And  Droysen  ? 

Flemming.    Certainly. 

Prell.    Hausser  ? 

Flemming.    Him  also. 

Prell.    Janssen,  too  ? 

Flemming.    Certainly. 

Prell  {smiling).  I  have  noted  it  all.  And  you 
convey  the  matter  to  the  children  with  the  ease  of 
an  .  .  .  artist.  It  is  as  if  you  saw  right  into  the 
children's  heads.  You  have  observed  how  ideas 
and  conceptions  grow.  {To  Flachsmann.)  That 
is  something  grand.    That  makes  the  schoolmaster. 

Flachs.  {assenting  in  a  helpless  way).  Certainly, 
certainly. 

Prell  {again  close  to  Flemming).  What  side 
do  you  take  in  the  question  between  Natorp  and 
Herbart? 


116  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Flemming.    In  the  main  with  Natorp. 

Prell.  And  I.  Most  decidedly.  The  "Analysis 
of  the  content  of  consciousness"  ...  of  that  you 
have  a  masterly  comprehension.  And  the  synthesis 
no  less.  {To  Flachsmann.)  That  is  something 
wonderful. 

Flachs.    Certainly,  certainly. 

Prell.  Nothing  I  have  ever  .  .  .  {Suddenly 
breaking  off^  losing  his  temper  at  Ms  own  enthusiasm, 
with  a  fierce  glare  at  Flemming,  all  at  once  becoming 
loud  and  sharp,)  Well,  well.  For  all  that,  insubor- 
dination is  insubordination  still.  And  insubordina- 
tion I  will  not  have.  You  called  your  superior — 
what's  this  you  called  him  ?  Botcher  ?  Scholastic 
botcher  ? 

Flemming.    A  paltry  scholastic  botcher. 

Prell.  Yes,  yes,  that  will  not  do.  That  we 
cannot  tolerate  under  any  circumstances.  There  is 
no  ...  I  cannot  save  you  from  the  consequences. 
{A  knock.)  Come  in.  (Charles,  ten-year-old  boy 
enters.)  {Lays  a  hand  on  his  shoulder.)  What  do 
you  want,  my  boy  ? 

Charles.  I  was  to  give  Mr.  Vogelsang's  com- 
pliments to  Mr.  Flachsmann,  and  the  Grand  Lama 
has  gone  to  the  Girls'  School. 

Prell  {taken  aback  for  a  moment).  Grand 
Lama?  Ah,  yes.  Well,  then,  just  say  to  Mr. 
Vogelsang,  "The  School  Commissioner  sends  his 
compliments  and  there  is  a  mistake;  the  Grand 
Lama  is  here  still."    Do  you  understand? 

Charles.    Yes,  sir.  [Exit. 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  117 

Peell  {after  taking  a  few  steps).  As  I  have  said, 
I  cannot  divert  the  consequences.  But  I  can  miti- 
gate them.  I  will  report  your  good  work,  your  .  .  . 
{growling)  well,  well— your  good  work.  You  will 
ask  Mr.  Flachsmann's  pardon,  and  then  you  will 
escape  the  worst  and  come  off  with  a  sharp  repri- 
mand. 

Flemming  {composedly).  To  ask  Mr.  Flachs- 
mann's pardon,  that  were  the  worst. 

Peell.    What  .  .  .  what's  the  meaning  of  that  ? 

Flemming.  Of  a  Flachsmann  I  will  never  ask 
pardon. 

Peell.    What  .  .  .  why  not  ? 

Flemming.    Because  it  would  be  monstrous. 

Peell  {stares  at  him  long  and  closely  and  then 
says  to  Flachsmann).    Leave  us  alone. 

Flachs.  Certainly,  Mr.  School  Commissioner. 
{With  uneasy  sanctimoniousness.)  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner, I  am  willing  to  forego.  ...  I  will  not 
stand  in  the  way  of  a  reconciliation  ...  if  it  rests 
with  me. 

Peell.    It  does  not  rest  with  you. 

Flachs.  {retreating).  Very  well,  Mr.  School 
Commissioner.  [Exit. 


SCENE  VI 
Flemming.        Peell. 

Prell  (sits  down  again).  Just  sit  down  here. 
(Flemming  sits  down.)  I  do  not  speak  to  you  now 
as  an  official.  I  speak  as  a  friend.  Of  course  I 
cannot  tell  you  wliat  my  opinion  of  Mr.  Flachsmann 
may  be,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  I  should. 

Flemming.  No.  And  I  assure  you  of  my  most 
complete  discretion. 

Prell  (guffaws  to  himself) .  Of  course  you  will 
not  have  to  work  any  longer  under  Mr.  Flachsmann. 
I  will  transfer  you  to  another  school.  After  that 
the  whole  apology  is  nothing  more  than  a  formaHty. 

Flemming  (cordially).  Forgive  me,  Mr.  School 
Commissioner,  I  am  indeed  heartily  thankful  for 
your  kindness,  but  this  is  just  as  if  the  executioner 
were  to  say,  "Be  quiet  till  I  take  off  your  head; 
it  is  a  mere  formality." 

Prell.  That's  nonsense.  This  is  no  execution. 
To  me  you  remain  just  the  same. 

Flemming  (gently).  But  not  to  me.  School  Com- 
missioner. I  would  not  take  a  bite  of  bread  from 
myself  after. 

118 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  119 

Prell.  This  is  ridiculous.  You  want  to  ruin 
yourself.  It  is  lunacy  for  a  man  like  you  to  leave 
the  school.  I  should  like  to  keep  you  for  the  school. 
(Again  looks  fixedly  before  him  a  moment,  then 
springs  up  and  runs  up  and  down  the  room. 
Flemming  also  rises  and  leans  on  his  chair.  Prell 
remains  beside  him,  without  looking  at  him.)  The 
literature  lesson  was  particularly  good.  Superb. 
Just  superb.  I  never  thought  a  real  lyric  could 
be  brought  home  to  a  child.  I  see  it  can  be  done. 
You  did  not  tear  or  hack  the  poem.  You  first 
carefully  prepared  the  mind  and  mood ;  you  got 
the  soil  ready  for  the  poem,  within  the  children; 
and  then  you  raised  (with  corresponding  gesture)  the 
whole  living  plant,  rootlets  and  all,  and  planted  it 
straight  in  the  children's  hearts.  Not  first  in  their 
heads.  That  was  a  solemn  moment.  There  was 
the  true  consecration  of  Art.  Did  you  watch  their 
eyes? 

Flemming  (gleefully  nodding  assent).    Yes,  yes. 

Prell.  You  could  hear  their  hearts  throb.  I 
must  confess  to  you  mine  throbbed  too.  I  too 
was  your  scholar.  I  too  was  a  little  boy.  I  have 
cadged  a  lesson,  little  as  you  knew  it.  When  you 
stopped  all  the  children  gave  (with  a  sigh  of  relaxed 
excitement)  a  ha !    I  gave  one  too. 

Flemming.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  you  make 
me  very  happy.    (Their  hands  involuntarily  clasp.) 

Prell.  Well,  is  it  not  pure  ma'dness  if  for  the 
sake  of  a  trifle  you  throw  over  the  school  and  start  a 
cigar  shop  as  best  you  can  ? 


120  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Flemming  (in  distress).  Mr.  School  Commis- 
sioner, ...  I  should  be  so  glad  to  make  myself 
understood  by  you.  This  Flachsmann  is  to  me  the 
most  repulsive  man  I  know.  I  felt  that  from  the 
first  day  I  saw  him.  I  have  a  physical  repulsion  for 
him.  Such,  I  imagine,  are  the  feelings  of  a  woman 
who  has  to  yield  herself  to  a  man  she  loathes.  .  .  . 
It  is  a  question  of  chastity,  Mr.  School  Commis- 
sioner. 

Peell  (looks  at  him  a  momenty  then  in  a  tone  of 
decision).  Well,  well.  If  you  really  cannot  do  it. 
I  will  make  an  exhaustive  report  as  to  the  position 
of  things  here,  and  I  will  do  my  utmost  to  have  you 
relieved  from  the  apology  and  that  the  matter  may 
end  with  a  reprimand.  But  this  much  I  tell  you 
beforehand :  it  will  be  a  wigging  like  none  you  have 
ever  known.  You  may  make  up  your  mind  for 
that. 

Flemming.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  I  will 
refuse  to  receive  this  reprimand  and  return  it  to  the 
Board. 

Pbell  (a  moment  speechless ^  then  very  loud). 
Then,  sir,  the  deuce  take  you.  Then  out  you'll  run 
till  your  shoes  fall  off. 

Flemming.  I  wear  boots,  Mr.  School  Commis- 
sioner. 

Prell  (still  louder).    You  are  an  insolent  puppy ! 

Flemming.    May  I  contest  that  ? 

Prell  (beside  himself  and  yelling).  No,  sir,  no; 
you  may  not.  (Baces  up  and  down  several  times,  his 
ha7ids  behind  his  bach,  darting  gla7ices  at  Flemming 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  121 

with  flashing  eyes ;  at  length  he  stops  at  the  table. 
Still  loud  and  angry.)    What  have  you  to  say? 

Flemming  (very  modest  and  grave).  There  are, 
it  is  true,  insolent  schoolmasters,  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner, and  there  are  submissive  schoolmasters ; 
of  both  more  than  enough ;  I  am  striving  to  increase, 
by  one,  the  number  of  the  self-respecting  school- 
masters. 

Peell.    And  you  will  break  your  neck  over  it. 

Flemming.  Very  possible.  People  see  in  us 
nothing  more  than  artisans,  often  only  mechanics, 
sometimes  only  machinery.  The  ambition  to 
become  artists  must  be  awakened  in  us,  artists 
who  discover  and  annex  to  our  Fatherland  fresh 
dominions  of  the  spirit.  Mr.  School  Commissioner, 
for  thirty  years  this  school  has  been  controlled  by 
a  cobbler.  .  .  . 

Peell.    Mr.  Flemming,  I  cannot  hsten  to  this. 

Flemming.  Pardon  me.  Put  it  this  way:  this 
school  has  been  ruled  by  a  man  who  stretched  every 
child  on  the  same  last,  who  laid  them  on  his  knee 
and  hammered  into  their  heads  the  regulation 
number  of  nails  .  .  .  that  makes,  at  any  rate,  a 
material  on  which  other  people  can  plant  their  feet. 
Thirty  years  long  has  this  Flachsmann  sat  here  at 
this  table  and  pressed  the  knob  or  rung  the  bell. 
By  pressing  a  knob  you  can  set  a  whole  arsenal  of 
machines  in  motion ;  but  children  and  teachers  and 
schools  are  organisms,  and  with  organisms  knob- 
pressing  is  worth  simply  nothing.  Thirty  years 
long  has   this   man  decided  the  weal  or  woe  of 


122  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

children  and  teachers ;  for  over  him  a  Head  Knob- 
presser  held  sway.  Ha!  ha!  people  have  a  fine 
saying:  *'The  master's  eye  makes  the  horse  fat." 
People  understand  the  stable  better  than  the  school- 
room; for  horses  are  worth  money.  For  thirty 
years,  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  you  seem  to  be 
the  first  man  who  has  come  here  with  the  feeling 
hand  and  the  seeing  eye  of  a  gardener. 

Peell.  Mr.  Flemming,  if  I  am  not  quite  mis- 
taken, you  are  now  administering  a  reprimand  to 
the  Board. 

Flemming.    That  is  not  my  office. 

Peell.  All  the  same  you  are  a  very  good  hand 
at  it.  But  you  make  one  prodigious  mistake.  You 
judge  all  teachers  by  yourself.  But  laws  are  made 
for  all  and  exist  for  all.  We  cannot  allow  to  one 
official  what  we  cannot  allow  to  all.  And  we  cannot 
allow  all  officials  to  call  their  superiors  **  paltry 
scholastic  cobblers."  Not  just  yet.  We  must  come 
to  an  end.  I  ask  you  for  the  last  time.  Will  you 
accept  the  reprimand,  be  it  what  it  may? 

Flemming.    No,  Mr.  School  Commissioner. 

Peell  {conclusively ^  co7nparatively  calm).  Then 
you  are  sacked.  (Somewhat  louder.)  Then  you  are 
slaughtered.  (Still  somewhat  louder,)  Then  you 
are  exterminated.  You  may  go.  Send  Flachsmann 
to  me. 

Flemming.    Certainly,  Mr.  School  Commissioner. 

[Exit, 


SCENE  VII 

Prell.       Flachsmann. 

Prell  goes  up  and  down  excitedly ^  stops  before  the 
vlacard  "School  BegulationSf"  shakes  his  head, 
and  then  continues  his  perambulations.  A  knock. 
Prell  hears y  but  says  nothing  in  reply, 

Flachs.  {opens  the  door  cautiously  and  slowly 
shuffles  in.  A  pause),  I  almost  fear  that  the  kind- 
ness of  the  School  Commissioner  has,  so  far  as  Mr. 
Flemming  is  concerned  .  .  . 

Prell  (without  regarding  what  he  says,  very 
gruffly).  You  are  costing  the  State  dear,  my  dear 
sir.  (Flachsmann  remains  silent  and  confused.) 
You  cost  the  State  one  of  its  best  teachers.  If 
not  the  very  best. 

Flachs.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  it  is  not  my 
fault.  I  am  at  any  time  ready  to  hold  out  the 
hand  of  reconciliation ;  I  have  nothing  at  all  against 
Mr.  Flemming.  .  .  . 

Prell  (as  before).    Why  do  you  hate  the  man? 

Flachs.  I?  hate?  Mr.  School  Commissioner, 
I  hate  no  man.    On  the  contrary,  I  have  .  .  . 

123 


124  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Pbell  {as  before).  That  is  the  hatred  of  the 
creeper  for  the  flier.  The  hatred  of  the  hustler  for 
the  born  conqueror. 

Flachs.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  I  admit, 
and  heartily,  that  Mr.  Flemming  is  a  highly  gifted 
man,  and  if  he  .  .  . 

Prbll  (stops  before  the  placard  "  School  Begula- 
tionSf'  and  bangs  it  contemptuously).  What  kind 
of  ridiculous  trash  is  this?  School  regulations  of 
123  paragraphs.  That's  the  code  of  a  convict 
prison.  The  day  is  too  short  to  carry  them  out. 
With  coddling  of  that  kind  you  rob  people  of  the 
power  of  seeing  the  essentials,  the  power  of  feeling 
what  is  great. 

Flachs.  {trying  a  wheedling  tone),  Mr.  School 
Commissioner,  I  have  always  been  a  great  friend  of 
discipline;  if  in  the  school  the  strictest  discipline 
does  not  .  .  . 

Prell.  You  never  dreamed  what  sort  of  a  man 
you  had  to  deal  with.  You  have  pettifogged  the 
man.  You  ought  to  be  very  glad  that  he  did 
no  harm  to  you.  If  you  had  left  the  man  quietly  at 
his  work,  you  could  have  got  on  with  him,  because 
he  has  the  more  sense.  {Close  to  Flachsmann, 
tapping  his  coat  with  his  forefinger,)  W^ith  such 
people  a  man  in  your  place  should  content  himself 
with  a  show  of  authority.  People  of  this  kind  are 
made  Prime  Ministers  and  the  sceptre  is  tacitly 
left  in  their  hands,  or  else  they  will  get  hold  of  the 
civil  list  as  well. 

Flachs.  {with  craven  malignity),    I  am  surprised 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  125 

to  hear  the  School  Commissioner  speak  so.  The 
School  Commissioner  was  always  before  in  favour 
of  the  Monarchy. 
Pbell  {close  to  his  face).  But  not  the  limited  ! 
Flachs.  But  Mr.  Flemming  has  constantly 
undermined  my  authority.  Since  Mr.  Flemming 
has  been  here,  the  discipline  of  the  staff  has  .  .  . 

Peell  {very  brusquely).  Fiddle-faddle.  I  know 
only  one  kind  of  discipline :  the  discipline  of  the 
man  who  knows.  The  man  who  knows  something 
has  discipline.  The  man  who  knows  nothing  goes 
in  for  tyranny.     That  is  always  the  way. 

Flachs.  {defiantly).  If  I  know  nothing,  the 
Government  should  not  have  appointed  me. 

Pbell.  My  dear  sir,  that  is  the  first  sensible 
word  you  have  said.  You  are  as  well  suited  for 
teaching  a  school  as  a  sheep  is  for  thought-reading. 
{Clapping  his  hands  and  locking  them  together.) 
What  a  lesson  you  gave  to-day !  It  was  incredible. 
The  children's  answers  were  often  to  the  full  more 
sensible  than  your  questions.  Your  questions  were 
nothing  but  Irish  bulls.  You  asked  the  children, 
"  What  does  marriage  lay  for  the  family  ?  "  and  the 
answer  you  wanted  was  "The  foundation!" 
Yes,  now  I  ask  a  man !  {Again  walks  up  and  down. 
Then  again  stops  beside  Flachsmann.)  Where 
exactly  have  you  been  examined? 
Flachs.  In  Weissenfels. 
Prell.  In  Weissenfels?  When? 
Flachs.    1869. 

Prell.    1869?    Then  you  have  been  examined 
as  an  extern. 


126  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Flachs.  {taken  aback  a  moment).    Yes  ,  .  .  yes. 

Peell.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  visited  the  Weis- 
senfels  College  and  held  the  examination  of  '69. 

Flachs.  {uneasily).  Yes!  Do  you  say  so?  .  .  . 
Mr.  School  Commissioner,  the  lesson  is  almost  over. 
...  I  ...  I  like  to  be  there  v^hen  the  children  go 
to  the  playground. 

Peell.  That  is  not  so  very  important.  I  do 
not  recollect  having  seen  you  then  or  heard  your 
name. 

Flachs.  I  had  been  ill,  Mr.  School  Commis- 
sioner, and  was  examined  later  by  myself. 

Peell.  Indeed.  Did  you  not  attend  any 
College? 

Flachs.    Oh  yes,  Mr.  School  Commissioner. 

Peell.    Which  ? 

Flachs.    Esslingen. 

Peell.  Why,  then,  were  you  not  examined  in 
Esslingen  ? 

Flachs.  I  was  examined ;  but  unfortunately  I 
did  not  pass. 

Peell.    Why  not? 

Flachs.  The  Professor  of  Method  disliked  me. 
He  would  never  have  let  me  through. 

Peell.  If  you  really  knew  anything  he  was 
bound  to  let  you  through.  It  was  rather  the 
Method  which  disliked  you.  And  so  you  passed 
in  Weissenfels?  I  don't  understand  that.  How, 
then,  did  you  ever  come  from  Esslingen  to 
Weissenfels  ? 

Flachs.    I  got  a  place  in  a  preparatory  school  in 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  127 

the  neighbourhood  of  Weissenfels,  and  so  I  was 
examined  in  Weissenfels. 

Pbell.  Hm.  That  is  a  puzzle  to  me.  They 
had  a  very  high  standard  at  that  time  in  Weissenfels. 
They  required  a  pretty  good  deal.  Christian,  for 
instance,  required  an  extraordinary  amount  in 
history.  And  what  a  history  lesson  you  give!  The 
things  you  told  the  children  weren't  history  at  all. 
.  .  .  What  class  did  you  take  then? 

Flachs.     Second  class  with  high  distinction. 

Pbell  {very  emphatically).    That  is  impossible. 

Flachs.    But  yet  it  is.  .  .  . 

Peell.  That  must  be  a  slip  of  the  pen.  You 
must  have  been  ...  no,  that  is  out  of  the  question. 
Had  you  a  severe  illness  ? 

Flachs.  Illness?  (Grasping  the  meaning.) 
Yes  .  .  .  certainly.  (A  hell,  Flachsmann  as  if 
released.)  There  is  the  bell,  Mr.  School  Commis- 
sioner.    {Going) 

Prell.  I  hear.  .  .  .  Wait.  {Looking  him  fixedly 
in  the  face.)  The  longer  I  stay,  the  more  riddles 
you  set  me,  Mr.  Flachsmann.  What  was  it  you 
said  a  moment  ago :  you  ^had  always  insisted  on 
the  strictest  discipline  ?  Did  you  insist  on  it  in  the 
case  of  Diercks  ? 

Flachs.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  in  the  case  of 
Diercks  I  have  erred;  so  much  I  must  unfortu- 
nately admit.  But  I  have  done  it  for  the  sake  of  an 
old  friend.  Diercks'  father  was  in  fact  an  old  friend 
of  mine;  we  came  from  the  same  village,  and, 
as  children,  played  together.  .  .  . 


128  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Peell.     Indeed. 

Flaohs.  Yes  .  .  .  our  parents  lived  next  door  to 
one  another.  .  .  .  Yes  .  .  .  and,  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner! For  the  sake  of  my  old  friend  .  .  . 
I  would  once  more  beg  Mr.  School  Commissioner 
whether  Mr.  School  Commissioner  might  not  give 
Diercks  one  more  trial.  {Taking  a  sentimental 
flight.)  When  a  man  is  once  flung  on  the  street, 
he  falls  lower  and  lower  .  .  . 

Prell.    Mr.  .  .  . 

Flachs.  Indeed,  he  will  never  do  anything  of  the 
kind  again.  .  .  . 

Prell  (sternly),  Mr.  Flachsmann,  you  are  plead- 
ing for  a  man  who  trained  his  pupils  in  fraud. 
You  all  at  once  exhibit  a  marvellous  placabiHty 
towards  a  man  on  whom  you  reported  to  us  with 
the  pettiness  of  a  venomous  hatred.  I  hope  that 
you  will  not  compel  me  to  give  expression  to  a 
suspicion.  Once  I  have  uttered  a  suspicion,  I 
follow  it  up. 

Flachs.  Oh,  oh,  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  I 
...  I  do  not  understand  at  all  what  Mr.  School 
Commissioner  .  .  . 

Prell.  So  much  the  better  for  you.  (A  knock,) 
Come  in. 


SCENE  VIII 

As  before.  Enter  one  after  the  other  :  Betty  Stub- 
HAHN,  GisA,  Vogelsang,  Eomee,  Weiden- 
BAUM,  KiEMANN,  and  Flemming.  After  them 
Negendank. 

"Weiden.  (in  conversation  with  Komer  as  he 
enters).  No,  it  is  quite  right.  That  is  the  man  for 
me :  just  and  resolute.  When  a  man  does  his 
duty  .  .  .  (They  signal  him  to  he  silent,  while  they 
point  his  attention  to  the  presence  of  the  Commis- 
sioner.) 

Prell  (seated  in  Flachsmann's  chair).  Pray  be 
seated. 

The  Staff  seat  themselves  in  a  semicircle    in  the 
following  order : — 

Sturhahn,  Weidenbaum,  Prell,  Flachsmann,  Riemann, 

Romer,  Vogelsang, 

Flemming,  Gisa. 

Prell.  Ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  have  had  to 
make  an  example  in  this  school.  Mr.  Diercks,  in 
order  to  hide  his  dehnquencies,  has  not  only  been 

9  129 


130  MASTER   FLACHSMANN 

guilty  of  fraud  himself,  but  has  made  accomplices  of 
his  pupils.  That  is  the  most  detestable  thing 
which  any  teacher  can  do.  Mr.  Diercks  has  in 
letter  after  letter  begged  me  to  cancel  his  dismissal. 
I  have  no  notion  of  doing  so.  Towards  such 
offences  I  know  no  mercy.  But  with  equal  frank- 
ness I  recognise  what  is  good,  and  I  thank  the  most 
of  you  for  showing  me  much  that  is  good.  The 
greater  part  of  what  I  had  to  say  I  have  already 
said  to  you  individually ;  I  have  but  little  to  add. 
(A  short  pause.)  Mr.  Komer  .  .  .  (Romer  bends 
forward.)  The  combat  with  ignorance  is  one  pro- 
tracted siege.  You  cannot  carry  it  by  sheer  assault. 
I  am  glad  that  you  have  fire  and  passion  within 
(pointing  to  his  breast) ;  but  lock  it  firm  within; 
thus  it  will  swell  up  with  all  the  greater  power.  Do 
not  let  all  pass  up  the  chimney,  or  in  three  years 
your  oven  will  be  cold. 

R5mee.    Quite  so. 

Peell.  You  also  talk  too  loud.  At  your  age 
people  want  to  blow  away  stupidity  by  force  of 
lung.  I  can  assure  you  that  cannot  be  done. 
Otherwise  I  am   very  well   pleased.    I  thank  you. 

EoMER  (smiling  happily).    Thanks. 

Prell.    Miss  Sturhahn,  you  also  talk  too  loud. 

Betty.     If  I  don't,  the  squad  will  not  hear. 

Prell  (softly).  The  squad  hears  the  better  the 
lower  the  squad-leader  speaks.  But  I  could  under- 
stand almost  every  word  when  you  were  teaching. 

Betty.  I  had  to  shout  louder  than  you  did. 
You  were  talking  so  loud. 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  131 

Peell.  You  are  open  to  my  criticism,  but  I  am 
not  open  happily  to  yours.  For  the  rest,  I  have 
seen  well  enough  that  you  have  the  best  intentions 
towards  the  children  and  work  with  the  most 
straightforward  zeal.    I  thank  you. 

Betty  (grumhlingly).    Thanks. 

Prell  {to  the  other Sf  in  snappish  tone).  You 
must  not  go  snapping  about  at  the  children.  Our 
scholars  often  have  no  sunshine  in  their  homes; 
therefore  they  must  have  it  in  their  school.  It  is  so 
nice  for  a  teacher  to  have  some  sense  of  humour. 
Humour  is  moisture ;  and  nothing  is  more  essen- 
tial for  the  atmosphere  of  the  school.  Humour 
is  possessed  {parenthetically y  grumpily) ^  apart  from 
Mr.  Flemming,  by  Mr.  Vogelsang  especially. 
Above  all  in  his  messages  to  Mr.  Flachsmann. 
I  would,  however,  put  them  in  writing,  Mr.  Grand 
Lama  Vogelsang.  The  children  need  not  be  told 
who  I  am. 

VoGEL.  {smiling).    No! 

Prell.  However,  all  your  humour  is  not  at  the 
expense  of  your  chiefs.  It  was  a  pleasure  to  me 
to  listen  to  you ;  you  are  a  blithe  lure-bird  of  learn- 
ing, Mr.  Vogelsang.  (Vogelsang  smilingly  bows.) 
But  that  it  is  possible  for  a  class  to  have  too  good  a 
time  you  have  demonstrated,  Miss  Holm.  Pray, 
Miss  Holm,  who  exactly  has  the  most  voice  in  your 
class  ? 

GiSA  {with  coy  archness).  1  believe  I  have,  Mr. 
School  Commissioner. 

Prell.     Do  you  say  so?     What    I    saw    was 


132  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

jovial  anarchy.  One  can  hardly  believe  that  sixty 
little  boys  can  do  what  they  like  with  you. 

GiSA.  But  what  am  I  to  do  with  them  ?  Beat 
them  I  cannot. 

Peell.  Well  ...  I  am  only  afraid  that  you  will 
come  to  grief  sooner  or  later. 

GiSA  {blissfully  positive).  Ah  no,  the  little 
rogues  are  much  too  fond  of  me. 

Prell.  Indeed.  Well,  I  daresay  if  Mr. 
Flemming  will  carry  you  off  you  will  have  the  good 
wishes  of  the  school. 

GiSA  (fervently).  Thank  you,  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner. 

Prell.  Mr.  Eiemann,  since  you  left  the  College 
have  you  ever  had  a  book  in  your  hand  ? 

KiEMANN.    Aye,  indeed. 

Prell.    Which  ? 

Eiemann.  Ooh,  the  ...  I  am  not  right  sure 
what  it  was  called. 

Prell.  They  say  that  you  are  fond  of  handling 
the  book  of  thirty-two  leaves. 

Eiemann.    Thirty-two  leaves  ? 

Prell.  You  would  surely  like  to  have  a  little 
more  time  to  play  Skat  ? 

Eiemann  (unsuspectingly).    More  time?    Oh,  no. 

Prell  (growing  gradually  more  and  more  acid). 
Only  say  the  word.  We  will  give  you  more  time 
for  Skat  than  you  will  like.  We  will  retire  you. 
We  have  no  use  for  out-of-date  teachers.  A  teacher 
who  is  not  up  to  date  is  like  a  doctor  who  is  not 
up  to  date  ;  eventually  he  commits  homicide.    For 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  133 

homicides  we  have  no  esteem.  When  I  come  back, 
you  shall  give  me  an  account  of  the  latest  position 
of  the  science  of  Method,  do  you  understand  ? 

EiEMANN.  Yes,  Mr.  School  Commissioner.  {A 
pause.) 

Prell  (strangely  softly).  In  your  class,  Mr. 
Weidenbaum,  I  have  admired  the  precision  with 
which  the  scholars  strike  the  tables.  How  have 
you  achieved  that? 

Weiden.  (stands  up  with  the  zeal  of  one  who  is 
complimented).  By  constant  practice,  Mr.  School 
Commissioner.  At  first  I  got  it  done  by  numbers  : 
in  sixes.  (While  he  sloioly  imitates  the  movements.) 
At  One,  the  children  lay  the  hands  flat  on  the  table ; 
at  Two,  they  grasp  the  flap  ;  at  Three,  they  raise  it 
precisely  to  the  perpendicular ;  at  Four,  they  replace 
it  without  a  sound ;  at  Five,  they  let  go ;  and,  at 
Six,  they  fold  hands.  If  it  is  practised  a  couple 
of  times  for  half  an  hour,  it  goes  all  right. 

Prell.    Do  you  say  so  ? 

Weiden.  Yes.  I  have  done  it  first  in  fours; 
but,  on  the  expert  advice  of  Mr.  Flachsmann,  I  do 
it  now  in  sixes. 

Prell.  Is  that  so  ?  Yes,  Mr.  Flachsmann  has 
drawn  my  attention  to  the  merits  of  your  class. 
I  have  also  admired  the  way  in  which  your  scholars 
when  they  show  hands  never  hold  the  finger  higher 
than  their  heads.    How  have  you  managed  that  ? 

Weiden.  (with  great  self -importance,  feeling  him- 
self the  centre  of  attraction).  If  a  boy  raises  his 
finger  higher  than  his  head,  he  has  to  write  out  one 


134  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

hundred  times,  "  I  must  not  raise  my  finger  higher 
than  my  head."  That  is  always  my  practice  :  if  a 
scholar  looks  about  or  laughs  or  anything  of  that 
kind,  he  must  write  out  one  hundred  times,  "I 
must  not  look  about  me  "  or  V*  I  must  not  laugh  in 
class  " ;  and  if  he  does  not  do  it  properly,  he  must 
write  it  out  another  hundred  times. 

Prell.  Indeed.  (Still  quite  graciously  to  all 
appearance.)  Are  you  aware  that  you  are  a  slave- 
driver  ?  (Weidbnbaum  sinks  in  his  chair.)  (Gradu- 
ally rising  to  a  climax.)  Are  you  aware  that  you  are 
worse  than  the  most  arrant  bircher  ?  Are  you 
aware  that  your  class  is  a  wax-figure  show  ?  .  .  . 
Are  you  aware  that  your  scholars  are  nothing  but 
corpses  ?  If  I  were  to  step  in  front  of  your  class 
and  say :  **  The  sofa  is  a  mammal ;  for  it  brings  its 
young  into  the  world  alive,"  every  one  of  your 
scholars  in  turn  would  repeat  it  after  me.  Not 
a  dissenting  voice.  I  wager  that  at  a  given 
sign  I  could  make  your  scholars  all  say  ''Bow- 
wow." 

Weiden.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  I  always  do 
my  duty  .  .  . 

Prell.  Duty  ?  Duty  ?  Duty  is  what  you  pay 
the  postman  on  a  registered  letter.  From  the 
teacher  I  ask  enthusiasm.  You  will  think  to  your- 
self :  What  an  idiot  this  fellow  is,  asking  me  for 
enthusiasm !  Work,  Mr.  Weidenbaum ;  then  the 
enthusiasm  will  come.  Clasp  the  world  tight  and 
you  will  come  to  love  it.  All  you  do  is  routine. 
Koutine  is  another  name  for  laziness. 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  135 

Weiden.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  I  have 
always  performed  whatever  .  .  . 

(PbeIjL  jumps  up  and  begins  again  to  perambulate. 
The  others  rise.) 

Peell.  Sir,  I  ask  force.  I  ask  life,  sir.  When 
your  scholars  go  forth  into  the  world,  they  halt  like 
cows  before  a  strange  gate.  I  want  men  who  will 
unlatch  the  door.  Look  at  Mr.  Flemming.  He 
awakes  force,  begets  force ;  you  exhaust  it.  Look 
at  one  of  Mr.  Flemming's  arithmetic  lessons. 
There  everything  lives  and  thrives.  The  numbers 
and  the  children  !  Old  as  I  am,  I  have  thought  : 
Wert  thou  again  fourteen  years  old  and  couldst  here 
sit  and  have  thy  share  ,  .  ,  (in  altered  tone.)  Alas, 
Mr.  Flemming  will  not  submit  to  the  necessary  dis- 
cipline. Therefore  he  must  take  the  consequence. 
It  grieves  me  that  in  Flemming's  case  I  must 
most  emphatically  repeat  .  ,  ,  (A  knock.)   Come  in. 

KoBBBT  Pfeiffer.  (enters).  A  letter  for  Mr. 
School  Commissioner.     (Gives  the  letter  and  exit.) 

Prell  (takes  and  reads.  When  he  has  read,  he 
stares  at  Flachsmann.  Then  with  every  sign  of 
suppressed  excitement  and  bewilderment).  Ladies 
and  gentlemen,  it  is  ...  I  will  ...  for  the 
present  return  to  your  classes. 

Vogel.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  may  I  crave 
a  word  ? 

Prell  (distractedly).  What  do  you  want  ?  (From 
time  to  time  staring  at  Flachsmann.  Flachsmann 
fixes  his  eyes  mechanically  on  the  letter.) 


136  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

VoGEL.  I  should  like  to  ask  our  colleague  Flem- 
ming  in  your  presence  and  in  the  presence  of  the 
Staff  whether  it  is  true  that  he  has  described  our 
whole  staff  as  dead  and  rotten,  and  himself  as  the 
only  one  that  is  alive  ? 

Flbmming  {looking  hard  at  him,  gravely),  Vogel- 
sang !     Old  donkey !     Do  you  believe  such  a  thing  ? 

VoGEL.  {returning  his  look  and  then  reaching  out 
his  hand  to  him).  Since  you  can  still  say  "Donkey" 
in  your  old  way,  I  believe  it  no  longer  .  .  .  Then, 
Mr.  School  Commissioner,  we  will  petition  the 
Board  to  have  Mr.  Flemming  left  in  his  place,  and 
I  am  convinced  that  the  entire  Staff  will  sign  it. 

(Weidenbaum  promptly  slinks  off.) 

KoMEE.  Certainly,  the  Staff  votes  solid  for  Mr. 
Flemming. 

Prell  {raises  a  comically  warning  finger  to 
Eomer).  We  will  talk  of  this  again,  gentlemen. 
Now  go  to  your  classes. 

(Vogelsang,  Kiemann,  Eomer,  Gisa,  Betty  hom 
and  retire.) 


SCENE  IX 
Pebll.    Flachsmann. 

Prell.  Mr.  Flachsmann,  what  is  your  Christian 
name  ? 

Flachs.  (faltering),  I  ?  I  am  called  George 
Henry. 

Prell  (looking  him  straight  in  the  face) .  That 
is  a  mistake.    Your  name  is  John  Henry. 

Flachs.  (sinks  on  a  chair,  helplessly).  No  .  .  . 
I  .  .  . 

Prell.  This  letter,  I  may  tell  you,  is  from  your 
friend  Diercks. 

Flachs.  (exploding ,  with  clenched  fists).  The 
blackguard  !    The  common,  damned  blackguard  ! 

Prell.  The  young  man  who,  owing  to  illness, 
was  re-examined  at  Weissenfels  in  1869  and  passed 
his  examination  as  extern  candidate  was  called 
George  Henry  and  was  your  younger  brother.  He 
died,  shortly  after  the  examination,  of  consumption 
and  you  took  possession  of  his  papers. 

Flachs.    The  blackguard !  the  scoundrel  ! 

Prell.  Such  is  the  friendship  of  the  wicked, 
Mr.  Flachsmann.    It  is  "as  the  shadow  in  the 

137 


138  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

morning;  hour  by  hour  it  steals  away."  The  Latin 
is  still  blunter,  it  says :  **  a  noble  pair  of  brothers." 
How,  then,  does  Diercks  know  all  this  ? 

Flachs.  His  father  was  clerk  to  the  School- 
Board. 

Pbell.  Ah,  and  he  knew  you  from  the  time  you 
were  at  home!  That  is  the  "dear  old  friend!" 
(Flachsmann  remains  silent)  Hem.  The  circum- 
stances were  certainly  very  opportune  for  swindling, 
because  the  examiners  were  the  only  witnesses  of 
that  examination.  And  so,  when  it  went  well  for 
long  years  and  still  went  well,  at  last  it  went  too 
well  for  you,  and  you  took  to  dancing  on  the  ice. 
(Flachsmann  remains  silent)  Luckily  that  is  always 
the  way.  When  God  gives  such  people  a  place.  He 
takes  from  them  the  wit  to  keep  it.  So  you  wanted 
to  ruin  an  excellent  man.  You  can  hardly  expect 
any  mercy. 

Flachs.  (affecting  the  contrite).  I  will  at  once 
apply  for  my  pension. 

Prell  (stares  at  him).  You  ask  for  a  pension 
after  all  this  ?    Are  you  demented  or  ...  ? 

Flachs.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  the  .  .  . 
Diercks  will  hold  his  tongue,  he  must  now  hold  his 
tongue  ;  I  will  take  care  of  that.  .  .  . 

Prell.  Aha!  The  Board  will  make  a  con- 
federate of  this  worthy  gentleman,  that's  what 
you  mean. 

Flachs.  Mr.  School  Commissioner  .  .  .  the 
Board  .  .  .  can  quash  the  inquiry. 

Prell  (very  curt).    We  will  quash  you.    As  you 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  139 

got  your  place  by  fraud,  you  have  never  been 
appointed  at  all.  Consequently  the  charge  against 
Mr.  Flemming  falls  to  the  ground.  And  conse- 
quently you  have  no  business  here.  {Pointing  to  tJie 
door.)     Instantly  leave  the  school-house. 

Flachs.  I  ...  I  have  first  to  pack  up  my  things 
.  .  .  my  things  ...  I  have  my  things  here  .  .  . 

Prell.  They  will  be  sent  after  you.  We  will 
not  keep  any  of  them. 

Flachs.    Yes,  but  I  have  still  .  .  . 

Prell.  I  won't  bear  the  sight  of  you.  (Flachs- 
MANN  slips  out  as  quick  as  lightning,  Prell 
presses  the  knob  beside  the  door.) 


SCENE  X 

Pbell.    Negbndank.    Then  Flemming. 

(Negendank  enters.) 

Pbell.  Ask  Mr.  Flemming  to  come  here. 
{Walks  up  and  down,  his  hands  behind  his  hachy 
and  then  stands  beside  the  table.  Again  takes  up 
the  letter  and  reads  it)  (Flemming  enters.)  I  have 
just  sent  Flachsmann  to  the  deuce.  He  had  no 
teaching  quahfications  whatever.  He  had  obtained 
his  office  fraudulently,  by  means  of  his  brother's 
certificate. 

Flemming.  Is  it  possible  ?  Truly,  to  the  blessed 
red-tape  nothing  is  impossible.     (Sinks  on  a  chair.) 

Pbell  (tartly).  That  is  nonsense.  There  will 
always  be  rogues. 

Flemming.  No  doubt.  But  if  this  gentleman 
had  happened  to  possess  a  regular  certificate,  I  was 
done  for.  And  yet  the  fraud  with  the  certificate 
was  perhaps  his  least.  Everything  the  man  did 
was  fraudulent,  even  when  he  did  not  intend  it.  No 
one  asked  him  for  guidance  or  stimulus,  to  be  a 
creator  or  an  artist ;  for  thirty  long  years  he  had 

140 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  141 

merely  to  be  a  good  foreman  and  to  set  his  lessons. 
That  he  could  undertake.  He  kept  the  machinery 
in  working  order.  If,  Mr.  School  Commissioner, 
you  will  reflect  a  moment,  you  will  find  an  amazing 
number  of  Flachsmanns;  alas,  they  have  not  all 
fraudulent  certificates.  You  will  find  that  the 
Flachsmanns  and  the  Weidenbaums  flourish  in  vile 
profusion,  that  they  are  degrading  the  German 
school  to  a  drill-hall  and  a  riding-school,  and  are 
stifling  every  fair  young  impulse  with  sneaking 
malice. 

Prell.  Eeally  we  ought  to  be  glad  that  the 
worthy  Flachsmann  has  given  us  so  little  trouble  in 
sweeping  him  out.  Things  do  not  always  go  so 
smoothly. 

Flemming.  Only  one  must  not  be  deceived 
because  the  certificate  is  all  in  order; 

Prell.  Your  will  is  law  to  me,  Mr.  Head 
Master. 

Flemming  (springs  up).    "  Head  Master  ?  " 

Prell  (brusquely).  Perhaps  you  protest  against 
this  title? 

Flemming  (stammering).    No  .  .  .  I  .  .  . 

Prell.  I  presume  that  you  have  passed  the 
necessary  examinations? 

Flemming.    Certainly  .  .  .  I  .  .  . 

Prell.  Then  take  charge  of  this  school.  Pro- 
visionally, for  the  present.  I  think  it  will  not  be 
long  till  you  receive  your  appointment. 

Flemming  (quivering).  Mr.  School  Commis- 
sioner .  .  .  this  is  not  possible. 


142  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

PRELL  {to  his  facCy  imitating  him  with  comical 
mockery).  **  To  the  blessed  red-tape  nothing  is 
impossible." 

Flemming  (in  intense  excitement).  I  am  here 
.  .  .  here  ...  to  mould,  as  I  will  .  .  .  just  as 
I  will  ...  all  that  is  beautiful  and  new  .  .  . 

Prell.  If  you  don't  make  too  much  of  a  bedlam, 
yes. 

Flemming.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  I  should 
like  to  hug  you. 

Prell.  For  this  part  of  the  performance  I  will 
summon  Miss  Holm.  (Presses  the  knob  on  the  table.) 

Flemming.    Ah  yes.    Gisa  ! 

Prell.    Ssh ! 


SCENE  XI 
As  before.     Negendank. 

(Negendank  enters.) 

Pbell  (with  suppressed  fun).  Mr.  Negendank,  Mr. 
Flachsmann  is  no  longer  in  charge  of  this  school ; 
Mr.  Flemming  has  taken  his  place.  Permit  me  to 
introduce  to  you  your  new  Chief. 

Negen.  Mr.  School  Commissioner,  I  must  say 
I  approve  of  this  step.  I  am  convinced  that  we 
shall  get  on  well  with  him.  {Stretching  out  his 
hand.)  I  congratulate  you.  (Flemming  mahes  a 
ceremonious  how.  Prell  turns  quickly  aside,  to 
conceal  his  amusement.)  (With  imperturbable 
seriousness.)  What  a  thing,  to  be  sure  !  Now  we 
have  kicked  out  two  of  our  people ;  and  one  of  our 
classes  has  nobody  to  teach  it. 

Prell.  Well,  what  do  "we"  do  in  such  cases, 
Mr.  Negendank  ? 

Negen.  Well ...  if  it  comes  to  that,  I  can  teach 
a  class  for  that  long. 

Prell.    Can  you  do  that,  then,  Mr.  Negendank  ? 

Negen.  (with  a  highly  superior  air).  Oh,  yes.  I 
was  a  non-commissioned  officer. 

143 


144  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Peell  {in  a  similar  tone).  Do  you  say  so  ?  Oh, 
then  .  .  . 

Negen.  I  will  be  a  Moltke  to  the  children.  I 
knew  him  personally. 

Peell.  Quite  right,  Mr.  Negendank.  But,  in 
the  first  instance,  beg  Miss  Holm  to  be  so  kind  as 
to  come  here. 

Negen.  At  your  service,  Mr.  School  Commis- 
sioner. lExit. 


SCENE  XII 

FLEMMiNa.    Prell. 

(Prell  cmd  Flemming  hurst,  when  Negendank 
goes  out,  into  smothered  laughter.) 

Flemming.    Poor  Moltke ! 

Prell.  He  is  superb.  However,  there  is  one 
thing  more  :  you  must  promise  me  not  to  suggest  in 
any  way  to  your  fiancie,  either  by  word  or  look  or 
gesture,  but  on  the  contrary  to  back  me  up. 

Flemming.    What  is  it  to  be  ? 

Prell.    I  want  to  have  a  bit  of  fun. 

Flemming.    All  right,  I  promise. 

Prell.  Be  quiet.  She  is  coming.  (Seats  himself 
at  the  table  and  assumes  a  highly  official  attitude.) 


10  1^ 


SCENE  XIII 
As  before.     GiSA. 

GiSA  (enters  and  regards  the  pair  with  questioning 
looks).    Mr.  School  Commissioner.  .  .  .  ? 

Peell  (brusquely).  Be  seated.  (GiSA  seats 
herself.)  As  to  your  teaching  we  have  already 
spoken,  Miss  Holm.  But  you  have  still  something 
else  on  your  conscience.  (Gisa  looks  round  to 
Flemming,  who  likewise  has  assumed  an  attitude 
of  stern  gravity.)  Miss  Holm,  you  must  look 
at  me.  (Gisa  turns  again  to  the  Commissioner 
with  comical  haste.)  It  is  in  reference  to  the 
kissing  incident.  Do  you  remember  the  circum- 
stance ? 

Gisa.    Oh,  yes. 

Peell.  The  worst  feature  in  it  is  that  you  have 
allowed  yourself  to  be  kissed  by  your  superior. 

Gisa  (pointing  at  Flemming).  He  is  no  superior. 
We  are  not  yet  married.  (A  tender  look  at 
Flemming.)    And  even  then  it  is  doubtful. 

Flemming.  My  young  lady,  you  will  yet  dis- 
cover that  I  am  in  another  sense  your  superior. 

146 


MASTER   FLACHSMANN  147 

GiSA.    What  does  that  mean,  you  saucy  rogue? 

Flemming.  It  means  that  Flachsmann  is  dis- 
missed and  I  am  now  head  of  this  school. 

GiSA  (jumping  up  several  times).  Ja  .  .  . 
Jack  .  .  .  {Turning  to  Prbll,  artlessly.)  Ah,  no,  it 
isn't  true,  is  it?  (Prell  nods  strenuously)  GiSA 
flings  herself  ivith  a  cry  of  joy  into  Flemming's 
arms.)    Jack !     {Long  embrace  and  kiss.) 

Prell  (jumpsupyhalf  in  jest,  half  earnest).  Good 
heavens  .  .  .  will — will — will  .  .  .  will  you  now 
.  .  .  !  My  good  people  !  If  any  one  were  to  come ! 
You  put  me  in  a  nice  position  !  {Buns  to  the  door 
and  holds  it  closed.  The  school  bell  sounds.)  Have 
done,  have  done,  my  good  people.  {He  opens  the 
door  and  speaks  out.)  Ah,  Mr.  Weidenbaum,  please 
have  the  Staff  summoned. 

Weiden.  {loithin).  All  right,  Mr.  School  Com- 
missioner. 

Prell  {closes  the  door.  To  the  pair).  Just  stop. 
For  we  must  look  into  matters  again.  You  think 
no  doubt  that  this  is  going  on  for  ever — special  con- 
ferences every  day  in  the  week.  {To  GiSA.)  From 
to-morrow  you  are  to  teach  next  door  in  the  Girls' 
School,  and  one  of  the  ladies  there  will  come  here  in 
your  place. 

GiSA.  Oh,  my  goodness — girls  ?  They  are  worse 
even  than  boys. 

Prell.    Who  told  you  that  ? 

GiSA.    I  know  it  myself. 

Prell.  Well  ...  if  you  wish  it  very  much  .  .  . 
I  can  transfer  you  to  quite  another  province. 


148  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

GiSA.  For  Heaven's  sake  .  .  .  my  Jack  .  .  . 
(About  to  fling  herself  again  on  his  neck.) 

Peell  (extends  his  arm  between  them).  What? 
(Voices  are  heard.  To  GiSA.)  You  will  now  place 
yourself  there  (pointing  to  the  left,  then  to  Flemming), 
and  you  come  here  to  me.  (Places  himself  at  the 
right  of  the  table.  Flemming  stands  beside  the 
Head  Master's  seat.    A  knock.)    Come  in. 


SCENE  XIV 

As  before.     The  school  Staff. 

Prell  (when  the  Staff  is  assembled) .  Ladies  and 
gentlemen  .  .  .  Mr.  Flachsmann  has  been  dis- 
charged from  his  office.  Why,  you  will  learn  here- 
after. For  the  present  the  grounds  do  not  concern 
us.  Mr.  Flemming  undertakes  the  control  of  the 
school,  in  the  first  instance  provisionally.  {Gives 
his  hand  to  Flemming.)  Administer  your  office 
with  vigour  and  enjoyment  and  .  .  .  (with  his  left 
hand  describing  a  circle  in  the  air)  give  a  jolly  good 
airing  to  this  fusty  shanty. 

Flemming.  Thanks,  Mr.  School  Commis- 
sioner. .  .  .  My  dear  colleagues,  I  feel  this  sudden 
revolution  not  as  promotion,  but  as  emancipation. 
The  emancipator  stands  here.  (Pointing  to  the 
School  Commissioner.)  In  the  spirit  of  our  School 
Commissioner  will  I  administer  my  office ;  were  I  to 
do  otherwise  I  should  be  a  blackguard.  That  means 
that  I  will  discriminate  between  a  man's  work  and 
his  demeanour ;  I  will  judge  his  work  according  to 
his  motive  force  and  vitalising  power  for  the  future, 

149 


150  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

and  I  will  meet  you,  as  I  will  meet  our  pupils,  with 
cheerful  trust  in  the  individual  and  in  his  freedom. 
VoGEL  and  Komee.    Bravo  ! 

{The  Staff  congratulate  Flemming.) 

Peell.  Then  we  will  close  the  school  for  to-day 
and  dismiss  the  children,  so  that  they  also  may  enjoy 
themselves.  (The  Staff  laughingly  how  themselves 
out  GiSA  remains  standing  beside  Flemming. 
Peell  replies  with  funny  jerky  bows,  in  keeping 
with  his  other  gestures,  and  takes  up  his  hat  and 
his  papers.) 

EoMEE  {as  he  goes  out).    The  Inspector  is  here. 


SCENE  XV 
As  before,    Brosecke. 

Bros.  Go-o-o-od-day,  my  respected  friends,  good- 
day,  my  respected  School  Commissioner.  I  have 
been  on  a  little  trip  to  my  son-in-law ;  when  the 
early  pears  are  ripe,  I  must  always  be  off  there  .  .  . 
ha-ha-ha-ha-ha  .  .  .  well,  on  my  return,  I  heard  that 
you  were  inspecting  here ;  so  I  just  wished  to  pay 
my  respects  to  you. 

Prell.    Hm. 

Bros.  Well,  I  suppose  you  found  everything  in 
perfect  order? 

Prell.    Oh,  yes,  in  beautiful  order. 

Bros.  Yes,  yes,  yes,  I  am  sure  of  that;  our 
Flachsmann  is  a  jewel.    But  where  is  he? 

Prell.    We  have  set  the  jewel. 

Bros.    Ha-ha-ha-ha  .  .  .  how  so? 

Prell.    We  have  advanced  him  a  step. 

Bros.    Well,  well — to  Inspectorship? 

Prell.  No,  to  the  street  door.  (Bros,  stares 
at  him  with  a  face  of  indescribable  bewilderment.) 
Come  with  me  to  my  cab,  Mr.  Inspector.  I  have 
still  to  explain  some  matters  to  you.    Goodbye,  Mr. 

151 


152  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

Flemming  {when  the  latter  is  about  followmg  him). 
Stay  here.  {Fiercely  shaking  his  finger  at  GiSA.) 
But  you  come  with  me.     The  school  is  no  dovecote. 

GiSA  {with  arch  deference).  After  you,  Mr.  School 
Commissioner. 

Prell.  Oh,  no.  The  ladies  always  go  first. 
Because  then  we  can  keep  our  eyes  on  them. 

(GiSA  goes  out  with  a  charmingly  acted  piece  of 
pouts,  and  turns  to  the  left.  Prell  waves  back 
another  salute  to  Flemming  a7id  goes  out  with 
Br5secke,  and  likewise  turfis  to  the  left.) 


SCENE  XVI 
Flemming.    Gisa. 

Flemming  (follows  their  departure  as  far  as  the 
door  and  remains  a  moment  standing ^  sunk  in 
thought.  A  knock  at  the  door  to  the  left.  Flem- 
ming starts  and  turns  his  head  i/n  that  direction). 
Come  in. 

Gisa  {steals  in,  stands  at  the  door  and  points  her 
finger  in  a  childish  way).  Mr.  Head  Master,  I  know 
something. 

Flemming.    What  is  it? 

Gisa.    You  are  in  love  with  me. 

Flemming  (smiling).  You  little  rogue;  if  the 
Commissioner  were  to  come  hack  now ! 

Gisa.    Ha-ha-ha,  he's  gone,  the  school  is  clear. 

.{Pops  over  to  the  entrance,  stands  in  the  corridor, 

lays  the  hollow  of  her   hand    to  her  mouth  and 

bawls)  Mr.  Scho-o-o-ol  Commiss-s-s-s-sioner,  are  you 

ther-r-re  ? 

Flemming.    Lassie,  are  you  the  very  mischief  ? 

Gisa  (flinging  herself  on  his  neck).  Yes,  I  am 
thine,  thou  mischief.  {Yielding  to  an  access  of  deep 
feeling.)    While  I  live,  I  must  come  to  thee ;  thou 

153 


154  MASTER  FLACHSMANN 

hast  my  soul.  (BecUning  on  his  arm  and  offering 
him  her  mouth.)  Give  me  back  my  soul.  (Flem- 
MING  kisses  her.)  Take  it  back  again.  (Flemming 
kisses  her  again.)  ( Blissfully ,  looking  up  at  him.) 
How  nice  you  are,  you  wretch  ! 

Flemming.  Do  you  know  what  I  find  so  delicious 
in  you  ? 

GiSA.    Well? 

Flemming.  That  you  are  no  schoolmistress. 
Kemember,  when  I  come  home  from  the  school  and 
want  still  to  be  playing  the  schoolmaster,  you  must 
grab  me  by  the  shoulders  and  shake  me  and  say, 
*'  You,  Schoolmaster !     Be  human." 

GiSA.     Yes.    Every  day  ? 

Flemming.  Every  day.  This  I  firmly  believe : 
the  highest  point  of  our  art  can  be  attained  only 
while  we  remain  human.  {Begarding  her  and 
stroking  her  hair.)  "The  highest  of  our  art" — 
Good  heavens!  When  I  see  such  a  creature  as 
thou  art,  so  blithe,  so  cordial,  then  I  feel  that  I 
can  never  give  humanity  of  my  best  .  .  .  not  with 
all  the  power  of  art. 

GiSA.  What  does  this  mean?  Your  eyes  are 
wet !     To-day  you  should  be  happy. 

Flemming.  My  love — good  luck  with  dry  eyes ! 
— that  must  indeed  be  a  tiny  piece  of  luck. 

GiSA  (gazes  long  at  him  with  fully  serious  eye. 
Then  slowly  bends  over  his  hands  and  kisses  them. 
Suddenly  she  turns  her  head  listeningly.  Gleefully), 
Jack  !    Do  you  hear  ? 

Flemming.    What,  my  love  ? 


MASTER  FLACHSMANN  155 

GiSA.  Do  you  not  hear  ?  The  lassies  are  singing 
again.     {She  flies  to  the  window  and  flings  it  open.) 

SONG  OF  THE  GIBLS. 

Joy  is  dancing, 

Joy  is  sparkling 

All  around; 

Dancing  on  the  emerald  hillside, 

Sparkling  on  the  river's  still  tide; 

Joy  is  dancing, 

Joy  is  sparkling 

All  around. 

GiSA  {at  the  window).  Six-eight  time,  Jack ! 
{Softly y  trembling  with  suppressed  excitement.)  Jack 
— dance !  {The7i  with  a  loud  hurst  of  childlike 
exultation.)     Jack — dance  ! 

Flemming  {spreading  out  his  arms).    Come. 

(GiSA  dances  towards  him  and  whirls  him  away. 
While  the  girls*  song  continues^  the  Curtain 
falls.) 


UKTTIN  BBOTHEBB,  LnnTBO, 
WOEINa  AND  LOirooN. 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
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THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
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DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


F£8  21  1933 
APR   16  1938 

OCT  2  2 1952  ty 


LD  21-50m-l. 


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